Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) Ltd

Thanks to Jordan for bravely sharing his experience of detention in Queensland. Watch houses are no place for children, they cause further harm and won't make the community safer. Join the hundreds of Queenslanders who are calling for an end to the use of watch houses here: https://lnkd.in/gJM2MgRx

Members of the ATSILS Rockhampton team attended the official launch of the Court Link initiative that kicked off this week in Central Queensland. Aunty Niki Hatfield performed the Welcome To Country and reminded the audience of its importance to First Nations peoples. The Court Link Team gave great presentation on the key purpose of the initiative, which is to give participants acute support while on bail and navigating the judicial system. We are excited to see the initiative begin in Rockhampton, noting our office has already referred one participant on the second day of its operation. Thanks to the Court Link team for providing great insight, a lovely lunch and congratulations on a successful launch.

Our CEO along with our Close the Gap Policy and Sector Engagement and Communications teams spent valuable time with 'Elders for Change' while in Townsville this week. The team provided insights into our Close the Gap Policy approach and discussed the complex justice issues facing the local community. The passion and vision shared by the Elders concerning their intervention and prevention approach were inspiring. The grass-roots justice reinvestment approach they deliver to the community is critical to addressing the drivers of offending and unacceptable incarceration rates. ATSILS has long advocated for community-led justice reinvestment initiatives and it is great to see the Federal Government invest in this approach in Townsville. Elders for Change are helping to prevent deaths in custody by providing cultural support and, with the Elders' guidance, offenders and prison staff are building better relationships which makes our prisons safer. They’re also building strong relationships with service providers in the justice sector to enhance service delivery to their community and divert people from contact with the justice system. These important connections with grass-roots-led programs certainly assist organisations like ours to fine-tune our service delivery in line with the needs of the local community. We thank 'Elders for Change' for taking the time to share their wisdom and look forward to strengthening our relationship in the future.

Watchhouses are unsafe for Queensland’s children and do not make our communities safer. This needs to end! https://lnkd.in/gnvDK8Y8 Please, join us in calling on the government to get children out of adult watch houses. Take action - Raise the Age Queensland - https://lnkd.in/g_dtPsrV

During Anti-Poverty Week, we’re reminded that Queenslanders deserve better. MakeQueenslandFair.com Anglicare NQ Anglicare Southern Queensland Anglicare Central Queensland Queensland Meals on Wheels Ltd Relationships Australia (Qld) Carinity 54 reasons Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) Ltd Act for Kids Volunteering Queensland YMCA Queensland Financial Counsellors' Association of QLD Inc

The Make Queensland Fair campaign is urging our leaders to address inequality and support families and individuals doing it tough. It’s time to build a Queensland that works for all of us. MakeQueenslandFair.com Anglicare NQ Anglicare Southern Queensland Anglicare Central Queensland Queensland Meals on Wheels Ltd Relationships Australia (Qld) Carinity 54 reasons Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) Ltd Act for Kids Volunteering Queensland YMCA Queensland Financial Counsellors' Association of QLD Inc

ATSILS Legal Practitioner - Brittany White & Court Support Officer - Mary James, recently attended the October 2024 - Cooee Redlands Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander DFV Forum. The team found the forum very informative, with the issue of Domestic and Family Violence prosecution /defence and the recent amendments to the legislation regarding coercive control being presented by various stakeholders throughout the day. 

“Everybody wants our communities to be safe, nobody wants children to be in watch houses. To date in our public discourse there’s been a premium on posturing and not on problem solving and all of that leads us to a place where the solutions are not evidence informed; they’re evidence avoidant.” QFCC Children’s Commissioner Natalie Lewis.   There are 15 children in Qld watch houses today. More than 8 have been imprisoned for 3 days.   Please, help get children out of adult watch houses. Take action - Raise the Age Queensland - https://lnkd.in/g_dtPsrV

Over the past months hundreds of Queenslanders have emailed Steven Miles asking him to end the damaging use of adult watch houses to detain children as young as 10. In this election campaign we've heard both David Crisafulli MP and Steven Miles talking about early intervention and rehabilitation - but we also need commitments that prevent further harm. Putting children in adult watch houses will not keep our communities safer. Thank you to Katherine Hayes and the Youth Advocacy Centre (YAC) for never letting this go. You can email the Premier today, using this link: https://lnkd.in/gJM2MgRx

Earlier this year, Queensland senior police officer Sgt Damien Taylor said police “cannot meet” expectations to care for children in watch houses. Voices for Victims have stated that the longer it takes to get children out of watch houses, “…the more victims we will see impacted”. Watch house psychologist Andrea Bates has called the imprisonment of children in watch houses state-sanctioned “child abuse”. Liberal National Party MP David Crisafulli has conceded that it’s wrong to imprison children in watch houses. The Queensland inspector of detention services has warned of “catastrophic consequences’ if children continue to be locked up in police watch houses which are “not suitable for detaining children.” Former Police Union President and current Cross Border Commissioner Ian Leavers has called the imprisonment of children in police watch houses “a death in custody waiting to happen”. Take action to end the imprisonment of Queensland children in watch houses.  Read articles here: https://lnkd.in/gm4Y5YGT https://lnkd.in/gWS9k7BV https://lnkd.in/g8zZD5Np https://lnkd.in/gnwPgg9S