NATSILS – Good intentions aren’t enough to close the gap
Today the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) invite Prime Minister Tony Abbott to match his good intent with firm commitment and action.
NATSILS Chairperson, Shane Duffy, said that the Prime Minister has demonstrated his best intent towards addressing the disadvantage faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples but that what is needed now is turning good intentions into strong leadership and real action.
“Mr Abbott has repeatedly talked about his commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and has demonstrated such by moving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs into the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet where it can receive the attention it requires,” Mr Duffy said.
“While these initial steps are good signs that his intent and commitment are genuine, we are now reaching the point where the public are expecting greater leadership and definitive action.”
Mr Duffy said that the Government, led by the Prime Minister, needs to drive real change in a way that previous governments have failed to before, and recognise that addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage cannot be siloed amongst different areas of government service delivery and that addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander incarceration rates is as critical a part of the equation as progress in education, health and housing if we are to ever ‘close the gap’.
“Recent Commonwealth Government reports such as the Doing Time – Time for Doing report which followed an inquiry into the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth in the criminal justice system, as well as non-government experts have all argued that progress in the other areas of the Closing the Gap policy program will not be achieved unless action is taken in the justice space,” Mr Duffy said.
“The Safe Communities Building Block of Closing the Gap is the only area that does not have a national partnership agreement with targets to ensure that funding is committed to enable action, that such action is nationally coordinated and that identified outcomes are achieved”.
Mr Duffy said that prior to last year’s election, all major political parties gave bipartisan commitment to introduce Closing the Gap justice targets in relation to reducing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander incarceration rates, but that the Coalition had started to step back from this commitment recently.
“We are disappointed that the Government has wavered from their previous commitment and call on the Prime Minister to honour his Government’s promises and commence consultations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experts from relevant sectors to design appropriate justice targets and the priorities for an associated national partnership agreement,” Mr Duffy said.
“Mr Abbott has an opportunity to show some real leadership here and while we recognise that progress will not be made overnight, what we need from the Prime Minister is long-term vision, steadfast commitment and action that goes beyond good intentions.”
Media contact: Rachel O’Brien 0438 748 389 or rachel.obrien@atsils.org.au
Download the media release here.
SNAICC Submission into the Productivity Commission: Inquiry into Child Care and Early Childhood Learning
SNAICC welcomes the opportunity to participate in the discussion on the future of the Budget Based Funded (BBF) program for early childhood education and care (ECEC) services. BBF services have provided a fundamental support to children, families and communities for decades. Being owned and run by communities has meant that their understanding of and relationships with communities has enabled effective and responsive programs that build on community and cultural strengths, and attain great outcomes for children and families. Despite significant challenges in funding, infrastructure and workplace development support, these services continue to be a bedrock for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families around Australia.This review provides an opportunity to redress some of the challenges that BBF services face and better enable them to provide quality, culturally safe environments in which children will flourish.
Published 10 February 2014, the submission is available for download below.
For more information contact Emma Sydenham at SNAICC emmas@snaicc.asn.au
PDF Download
UNICEF Australia Submission to the Interdepartmental Committee Review of Inter-Country Adoption
The Australian Committee for UNICEF is committed to the principles outlined in The Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect to Inter-Country Adoption (the Hague Adoption Convention) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (CRC), and we note that Australia is a signatory to both Conventions. In particular, UNICEF is committed to the best interest of the child as a guiding and foundational principle in consideration of any potential changes to the existing inter-country framework and associated services.
UNICEF acknowledge the assistance of DLA Piper Australia (DLA Piper) in drafting this submission and DLA Piper’s on-going support and contribution to UNICEF.
For more information please contact Amy Lamoin at UNICEF Australia at alamoin@unicef.org.au or phone (02) 8917 3220.
PDF Download
UNICEF Submission on Birth Registration to OHCHR
UNICEF Australia welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the OHCHR on the subject of birth registration. Birth registration is a necessary step for all children in order to access their rights to an identity and nationality, as well as access to health, education and community services.
Article 7 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child provides that all governments must ensure under law that all children must be registered immediately after birth and have the right to a name, nationality and to be cared for by their parents as far as that is possible.
For more information, please contact Amy Lamoin at UNICEF Australia at alamoin@unicef.org.au or phone (02) 8917 3220.
PDF Download
Taskforce Submission on the Child Development and Wellbeing Bill 2013
Published 25 October 2013 by James McDougall on behalf of the Australian Child Rights Taskforce.
These comments are provided following the final community consultation forum on the Bill held on Tuesday 22 October 2013 at State Library of South Australia, Adelaide. The intent is to provide some final comments at the conclusion of the public consultation and in light of the changes that have already been made to the Bill.
The submission is available for download below.
For more information contact James McDougall
Email: jmcd@ihug.com.au
Phone: 0419 243 179
PDF Download
