On Thursday 19 and Friday 20 September, the North Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Service (NAAFLS) attended the Katherine Justice Reinvestment Symposium on the traditional lands of the Dagoman, Jawoyn and Wardaman peoples.
As a leading family violence prevention legal service providing support with domestic violence orders, child protection, family law and victim of crime, NAAFLS plays a key role in legal representation for victim-survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence. We also deliver non-legal services such as community legal education to remote Top End communities.
NAAFLS Senior Partnership and Advocacy Officer Rachael Hill, and Deputy Principal Legal Officer, Matt Fawkner, attended the sector-wide symposium. The keynote opening speaker Leanne Caton highlighted the high number of children in custody who have had contact with the child protection system and urged the audience to call for government to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14.
Ms Hill said it was important for NAAFLS to attend the symposium to hear from young people, and ACCOs in the sector, alongside community and government partners and to talk about Justice Reinvestment in Katherine. NAAFLS are invested in ensuring we support the ongoing development of Justice Reinvestment initiatives in Katherine and the greater Big Rivers region.
It was also an opportunity to hear from other Justice Reinvestment initiatives in the Top End in Groote Eylandt, for example the Anindilyakwa Land Council Community Justice and The Groote Story, which includes trauma informed healing programs for both men and women.
“We spoke about youth justice in Katherine, about coming together and being a united body to tackle justice issues, highlighting the importance of having our young people at the table,” said Ms Hill.
“I’ve been in the sector for more than a decade, and I was excited to see the community come together in Katherine to discuss goals and solutions. There’s a lot of work to be done and there’s a sector committed to addressing it. We’re keen to play our part too with non-legal services, as well as the legal services we currently provide.”
Symposium talks centred on the vision of K-Town Justice Reinvestment, early investment for ACCOs, strategies for successfully engaging young people and what we can learn from others, the journey toward better justice outcomes, understanding the intersection between justice and health, and using evidence and community knowledge to shape Justice Reinvestment action.
The Justice Reinvestment initiatives align with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap targets 10 and 11 and the Priority Reforms, aimed at reducing the over-representation of young people and adults in the criminal justice system.
The Katherine Justice Reinvestment Symposium was organised by the Katherine Town (K-Town) Justice Reinvestment consortium partners, Savanna Solutions, Flinders University and Jesuit Social Services. It was held at the Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Cultural Centre.