Anglicare Australia has marked Reconciliation Day by launching a position paper calling for justice, truth-telling, and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Anglicare Australia’s First Nations Justice position statement sets out a national call to action during Reconciliation Week, with a focus on tackling systemic disadvantage and ending over-representation in the child protection and justice systems.
“For too long, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been denied justice in their own country,” said Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers.
“We know that when First Nations communities have the power and resources to make decisions, they get better outcomes. Our statement is a call to shift power and ensure that change is led by the people most affected.”
Anglicare Australia’s position paper notes that inequity is most stark in systems like child protection, where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children make up more than one third of all children in state care – and in the justice system, where incarceration rates continue to rise.
“For generations, there has been a failure to partner with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a genuine way. That must change,” Ms Chambers said.
“We must move beyond words. That means long-term funding, real partnerships, and services designed and delivered by community-controlled organisations wherever possible.”
Anglicare Australia’s First Nations Justice position paper calls for:
- A national framework for genuine self-determination, led by First Nations peoples
- A national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Strategy
- Long-term funding to improve health, housing, employment, and education
- Investment in services delivered by Aboriginal community-controlled organisations
- Greater connection to culture for Aboriginal children in care
- More First Nations employment across the social services sector
“Justice and reform will take more than words. It will take sharing power with First Nations communities. That starts with listening, learning, and acting – and it’s time for all of us to step up,” Ms Chambers said.