Aboriginal Legal Service

Looking for a change in the new year? I’m thrilled to be recruiting for two (!) Senior Policy Officers in the Aboriginal Legal Service Policy & Law Reform unit: a NSW specialist and an ACT specialist. These are coveted roles that would suit lawyers who have practised in criminal law, or have other relevant experience, and experience in legal policy analysis. You’ll work with me and my small but mighty team of change-makers to lead the development of ALS policy positions, draft sophisticated written submissions on a variety of subject matters, and represent the ALS in engagements with external stakeholders from the community and government sectors, including at the national level. Other benefits include a competitive salary, generous not-for-profit salary packaging, a 35-hour working week and the option to work flexibly via hybrid or work-from-home arrangements. Please share widely with your networks. Policy lawyers, here’s a rare chance to join the ALS team. Criminal lawyers, why not take a 12-month break from court and work with us to platform the voices of Aboriginal communities in our systemic advocacy? It’s some of the most meaningful work I’ve done. Please feel free to reach out to me direct if you’d like to discuss this opportunity, or contact our brilliant Careers team.

We’re wishing everyone a happy and safe festive season! Our offices will be closed from 5pm today and re-open at 9am Monday 6 January, with the exception of our Redfern office which is open from Monday 30 December (except the New Year’s Day public holiday). Visit our website for more information on our office closures and where to find help over the holidays: https://lnkd.in/gamvGy64

A new report on child poverty in NSW reveals how government choices are letting kids down.   About 1 in 5 criminal offences committed by children can be attributed to poverty, and this costs our communities up to $855 million a year. Imagine how much money could be saved – and how much better off our kids would be – if government invested more in supporting children and their families to thrive in the first place?   The report also found that children experiencing poverty and involved in the legal system are much more likely to experience maltreatment, homelessness, alcohol and drug problems, and lower education levels. As a community, we owe these kids a better life, not a life stuck in the quicksand of the legal system.   Thank you NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) and Impact Economics and Policy for this important research.

⚠️ Warning: This post contains confronting information about deaths in custody. Every death in custody is a tragedy. No one should die alone, forcibly separated from their family in a prison or police cell. Yet 24 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people died in custody last year, including one child. Over half of the people who died were unsentenced.   We’ve known since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody over 30 years ago that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody are driven by structural discrimination at every stage of the criminal process meaning that Aboriginal people are more likely to be arrested and imprisoned than non-Aboriginal people.   Today’s report underscores the urgent need for governments to reform punitive bail laws and divert resources away from dangerous and costly policing and imprisonment responses into culturally safe, community-led supports that prevent people coming into contact with the criminal justice system in the first place. The report is available online: https://lnkd.in/gYD_jhxu -- If this post has brought up anything difficult for you, 13YARN is available for 24/7 crisis support on 13 92 76.

Our recently established Aboriginal Child and Family Advocacy and Support (ACFAS) team works alongside families who are at risk of having their children removed, helping them to get the best outcomes before the matter goes to court. If you're passionate about empowering families and supporting Aboriginal kids to grow up in community and culture, this is the team for you.    Apply for solicitor roles here: https://lnkd.in/gs3mMYKe   Apply for our paralegal role here: https://lnkd.in/gs3mMYKe

Most women in prison have experienced domestic and family violence, a report from prison reform advocacy group The Justice Map has found. And the experience of prison can be re-traumatising.   "It's like being with the most abusive person you've ever been around - you get told when you can go to the toilet, told when you can shower, told when you can eat … I can't speak enough about what it does to a person's mental health and wellbeing,” said survivor Rocket Bretherton.   The report recommends improving housing access for survivors of domestic and family violence, alongside expanding women-centred and community-led services, launching a federal inquiry into women in prison, and reforming laws which criminalise homelessness, unpaid fines and drug use.

Here are the facts about child protection in Australia. There are almost 23,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care across Australia, and less than half are living with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander relatives and carers. Across the country, so-called child protection systems are removing our kids from home at almost 11x the rate of non-Indigenous children. These facts are grim, but they also show opportunity. Only 6% of child protection funding last year went to Aboriginal community-controlled organisations – imagine what could be achieved if governments invested more in our communities and organisations to keep our kids safe and thriving. And only 15% of child protection government funding is spent on preventing kids from being removed – imagine if governments invested more in supporting families so that fewer children were removed in the first place. We shouldn’t have to imagine; it’s on all state and territory governments to make this a reality. These facts are from the 2024 Family Matters Report. You can learn more at https://lnkd.in/ga8Bmx_P

As of yesterday, police have new powers to stop and scan people for knives. Tell your clients: if you’re stopped and scanned by police, stay calm, cooperate, and remember you can always complain later if you were treated unfairly by calling the ALS on 1800 765 767.   For more information, visit our website: https://bit.ly/3D8vRL9

In NSW, the age of legal responsibility is 10. That is too young. The NSW Government must do better for all children and all communities.   Find out more, join the movement here: www.raisetheagensw.org.au   #RaiseTheAgeNSW #HappierTenthBirthday #TenIsTooYoung

⚠ Warning: This post contains the name and image of an Aboriginal person who has passed away. Our deepest condolences are with the family of Gomeroi man Michael Peachey. A coronial inquest has confirmed he died in 2021 after being pepper sprayed, tasered and held face-down by police after suffering suspected psychosis. Deputy State Coroner, Elizabeth Ryan was critical of the actions of police and paramedics involved in Michael’s final moments, and issued four recommendations aimed at preventing these tragic events from happening again. Michael was much loved by his family and he was a doting father to his young child. We represented his family in the inquest.