Subjects: NAAJA throughcare investment, Northern Territory incarceration rates, Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation, Mulka by-election, future of YiSSA short term accommodation in Darwin, Member for Solomon
MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS, MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: Good morning, everyone. I'd like to acknowledge that we've come together on the lands of the Larrakia people and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging. And also acknowledge that we're here at NAAJA with CEO Ben Grimes and Deputy Matthew Connop. We know that as part of Closing the Gap across Australia, justice is one key area that we are not achieving the targets, in reducing the incarceration rates of First Nations people in this country. It is important to be able to support the programs that are working. We have numerous Justice Reinvestment programs across the country, in particular, here in the Northern Territory, on Groote Eylandt. Today, I want to announce an investment of $2 million into NAAJA's throughcare program, to work with people who are in the justice system, to assist them transition out, to have healthier, happier, better lives and not to reoffend. So, it is significant that we’ve made this announcement today. I'll just hand over to Ben Grimes, so he'll be able to give you some of the details.
NORTH AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL JUSTICE AGENCY CEO, BEN GRIMES: Thankyou. NAAJA wants to thank the federal government for the investment in NAAJA’s throughcare programs. We know based on decades of frontline work and experience, that what really works keeping communities safe is the early intervention and prevention work and this money will go directly to that. NAAJA for many years has worked innovatively in that early intervention and prevention space throughout the NT. And the ways we do that are through intensive, Aboriginal-led, culturally grounded support. Where you start working with people in prison before their release and then intensively work with them, their families and communities post release. Other ways that we do that are also through embedding social workers, mental health workers and Aboriginal support workers with our criminal teams to help people receive the supports they need, as early as possible when they come into the criminal justice system. And these approaches are achieving genuine, measurable results. So, in the Northern Territory, generally on average, about 60 or 65% of people who come out of prison will unfortunately be back in prison within two years. Our mainstream correction system only has about 35% success rate. When we look at NAAJA's programs on the other hand, our women's program, the Kungas program, which works with women who are incarcerated in prison, 79% of those participants do not receive any further charges or criminal data, they don't come back to prison. When we look at our adult and youth programs, 67.5% of both adult and youth participants, don't receive any further charges. So, our results are double what the mainstream results are. So, this is why we know that it works. And so, this investment from the Commonwealth is going to allow us to create more throughcare support workers, to have a youth social worker, a youth support worker, a housing social worker, four Aboriginal traineeship positions to ensure an ongoing pipeline of Aboriginal employment at NAAJA. Unfortunately, in the last two years demand for NAAJA’s services has increased exponentially, very, very significantly. This investment allows us to be there. Currently, 40 Aboriginal people every single day are being arrested. Prison rates have climbed. It’s very difficult to keep up with demand. This approach recognises that the best way to do things is through Aboriginal control, based on Aboriginal cultural strengths, in the early intervention and prevention space.
JOURNALIST: You just said there, the demand for NAAJA’s services has gone up significantly, 40 people a day is very significant. This $2 million is obviously going to a particular service with throughcare. Is it really going to help NAAJA to just deal with the number of people that are just kind of coming through the door every day?
NAAJA CEO: So, this money is focussed on the prevention and early intervention space. It doesn't directly go to legal services. So, there's still a very significant shortfall in what's needed for legal service delivery, given the numbers we’re seeing come before the courts. The courts’ own data very clearly paints a picture, a huge spike, around a 37% increase over the last two years, in terms of number of people coming before courts.
JOURNALIST: How does that measure up with NAAJA’s overall funding and ability to deal with that 30% increase?
NAAJA CEO: So, just to put it into very real-world terms, going back two years ago, on average NAAJA was representing 100 people per day with criminal matters. We're now representing 131 people every single day in criminal matters. And we've not had any boost in funding for those services.
JOURNALIST: Assuming this is just a once off payment, realistically how long will this help you have these extra throughcare services?
NAAJA CEO: Yeah, I think there's two ways of looking at it. So, one is that it fills the evidence base for us to continue to show and prove that this really does work. And so that evidence base is so crucial. The second is that because of our motto, which is a quality over quantity approach, it's a very intensive approach, we expect this money to directly support us to work with about 240 people. And if those 240 people all substantially reduce their contact with the criminal justice system, well, that's potentially a lifelong impact, even if our interaction with them is intensive over the next 12 months.
JOURNALIST: How concerned should the community be about recidivism rates in the Northern Territory?
NAAJA CEO: In my view, the community shouldn't be very concerned about recidivism rates. It's one of the clearest ways to measure the success or failure of a criminal justice and corrections system. If the purpose of a criminal justice and corrections system is to keep the community safe, well higher recidivism rates is proof that it is not working.
JOURNALIST: Minister, could I just get your reaction to Voluntary Assistant Dying legislation passing the Northen Territory Parliament last night?
MINISTER: Well, clearly this is a piece of legislation that has been long fought for for many decades. It certainly was overturned three decades ago. We saw that Luke Gosling, the Member for Solomon, and Alicia Payne, the Member for Canberra, brought it forward in the Federal Parliament a number of years ago, to be able to give the Northern Territory rights to be able to again go forth and put forward the legislation. And we saw that last night.
JOURNALIST: Do you share concerns that this could harm trust in local health clinics in Aboriginal communities?
MINISTER: Well, health clinics right across not only the Northern Territory, but in the remote regions across Australia, need to be resourced to provide adequate information. And now, in particular, with Voluntary Assisted Dying. There must be resources there to enable language interpretation. We have over 100 Aboriginal languages just in the Northern Territory alone. There needs to be resources in terms of personnel and better understanding and communication. I think the concerns that were raised by the previous Member for Mulka, about the fears that First Nations people may now feel in going to hospital or going to a medical clinic are ones that should be taken seriously.
JOURNALIST: Just on Mulka. We've seen yesterday that the deadline has passed for various parties to put up their candidates for that seat. CLP didn't put anyone up. Do you think that sends a message to that electorate about their interest in that part of the country?
MINISTER: It’s certainly not the first time that the CLP’s not put a candidate up in North East Arnhem Land. I certainly recall when I was the Member for Arnhem that occurred as well. It certainly shows a consistent message that the CLP don’t care about the bush, unfortunately is a response I've had many times as I've travelled around the regions of the Northern Territory. And I guess that's how it’s seen now without a candidate. There is questions around democracy and does the CLP care?
JOURNALIST: There are concerns about the YiSSA homeless shelter closing down. Do you have any update on what's going to happen to those people?
MINISTER: Well, I’ve certainly reached out on behalf of the Commonwealth to the Northern Territory Government and urged the Northern Territory Government to continue negotiating with Ausco. I’ve certainly spoken with Ausco. I've certainly spoken with the Northern Territory Government about keeping the facility open. I have made an offer to the Northern Territory Government to purchase the facility with them. To go halves in that purchase. And I'm just awaiting a response.
JOURNALIST: When did you make that offer?
MINISTER: That negotiation has been occurring over the last number of weeks, and I'm certainly hoping the Northern Territory Government agree to it.
JOURNALIST: But they haven't come to the table at all yet?
MINISTER: I certainly haven't got a response just yet, but I'm hoping it's imminent.
JOURNALIST: Do you believe that the prosecution of Luke Gosling should continue given the news yesterday that the Commonwealth DPP has declined to take that prosecution on?
MINISTER: I've said on the record, in terms of my colleague and friend, Luke Gosling, that I have been concerned about him, his family and his staff. It was one of the first things I did, hearing the news and reaching out. It's a really difficult time for him. It has been a really difficult time for Luke and his family and his staff. And I think it's really important the public maintain the awareness that Luke has always been prepared to defend these charges against him. And I think it's important that he has that opportunity to do so, and I know that he's trying to do that in the courts.
JOURNALIST: His lawyers have raised some more concerns about the way that this matter has been handled. Sort of suggesting that at every step of the way, there's been some sort of, it's been politically charged. Do you share those concerns about the way his matter has been handled?
MINISTER: I can only echo how stressful this whole situation is, without a doubt. It is very stressful for Luke, for his family, for his staff, and clearly, he denies any wrongdoing and is prepared to defend that.
JOURNALIST: Was it right for him to step down from the Special Envoy role?
MINISTER: It doesn't matter what I think, whether it's right or wrong, what matters is that he's given an opportunity for himself.
JOURNALIST: Do you have concerns about how the information around his most recent breach of bail allegations has been provided to the media before being heard in court or indeed before, apparently, Luke Gosling himself knew about it. The Aus newspaper had the details of the incident, apparently before Luke even had that information.
MINISTER: Well, I think Australians can make their own assessment of this situation. I'm sure people are fairly understanding if they know Luke, the kind of person he is. He's a good man; he's worked hard for his electorate. I’ve worked beside him for 10 years and I know him to be a really strong advocate for the people of Solomon. And I'm sure that ordinary Australians will look at what's going on and think this is very strange.
JOURNALIST: Back on YiSSA. How significant of an issue is this if it shuts down, and are you confident in the NT Government's assurance that everyone will be found a bed?
MINISTER: Look, I'm deeply concerned about the families at YiSSA and I'm deeply concerned for the staff of YiSSA. They have been there for a number of years the staff. They are well supported. It's a facility that has cared for so many families and continues to do so. People who are homeless, people who are escaping domestic violence, people who need medical attention or legal attention. YiSSA has been home to so many people, black and white, because they’re the people who need it. We will not see as good a place to what that is right now, for quite some time. And I urge the Northern Territory Government to meet me halfway on this. We can together buy this facility, and we can together support the families and the staff at YiSSA.
JOURNALIST: That half half cost. Is that the figure that Ausco was demanding? It was, like, 8 to 12 million, something like that?
MINISTER: Well, it actually wasn't that amount. And I won't go into the figure, but it certainly wasn't as high as that. Thankyou.