Victoria's Attorney-General, Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes, appeared before the Yoorrook Justice Commission, which is examining injustices experienced by First Peoples in the criminal justice and child protection systems. During her appearance, the Attorney-General was questioned about her witness statement, in which she acknowledged the disproportionate impact that First Nations communities have experienced in the criminal justice system in the state, stating that
"the impact and structures of colonisation are far-reaching and intergenerational and are continuing to affect Aboriginal peoples' interactions with the criminal justice system."
During the hearing, Attorney-General Symes addressed a wide range of issues, including over-representation of Aboriginal people in prison, deaths in custody, the impact of the state's bail laws on First Nations people, and the decriminalisation of public drunkenness. Attorney-General Symes pledged to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12 with no exceptions and revealed that legislation to achieve this will be introduced into Parliament in October, aiming to be enacted by mid-next year. She also committed to strengthening police oversight.
The Yoorrook Justice Commission, the country's first truth-telling inquiry, will provide recommendations for addressing injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria, including the over-representation of Aboriginal people in prison and the disproportionate impact of the state's bail laws on First Nations people. You can view the full video of the Attorney-General's appearance at the commission and her witness statement by clicking on the links below:
Photo credit: Chris Hopkins/The Age newspaper.