The independent Western Australian prison inspector has flagged concerns that those from non-Christian faith backgrounds are not able to access chaplains and other services while incarcerated.
In a report on accessing chaplaincy and faith services, the WA Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services (OICS) said that people in custody who are not Christian are experiencing “difficulties engaging with religious leaders and practitioners from their faith group”.
It found that non-Christian faith providers were facing problems when trying to get approval to attend prisons in the state, and that there were regular requests from within prisons for their services.
In its response to the report, the WA government agreed in principle to review alternative models for delivering these services to meet the inter-faith needs of those in prison, and to formally incorporate non-Christian and Aboriginal organisations into chaplaincy.
The Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services (OICS) recently published its findings on the inspection of court custody centres in Western Australia. The OICS expressed concern about unhygienic blankets that were used multiple times without wash, with staff explaining they handled the blankets using gloves.
The use of strip searches were criticised as degrading and traumatising. The OICS recommended that court custody centres invest in body scanning technology. There was confusion among staff surrounding policies for strip searching young people, with some staff refusing to strip search young people under any circumstances. The OICS iterated that the Court Security and Custodial Services Act 1999 outlines clear circumstances of subjecting a person “apparently 10 or more years of age” to a strip search when entering a court premise.
Some of the older courthouses have no elevators or passageways between the custody area and the courts, meaning that people were handcuffed and escorted through public areas. The OICS noted this was undignified and distressing for people requiring a wheelchair and could potentially influence the jury members, impacting the notion of a fair trial free of bias.
A ban on the sale of machetes is now in effect in Victoria, with the state government saying this is the toughest ban of its kind in Australia.
The sale of large, broad-bladed cutting knives is now banned in the state, whether in-store or online, with no exemptions.
The ban does not affect the “legitimate use of existing goods owned by community members”, the state government said.
A legislated ban will be in place from September, and the purpose of the initial ban is to dry up supply of the weapons as much as possible before this.
Failing to comply with the machete ban will be a criminal offence.
The Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal Clans Organisation (DJARRA) has become the first group to announce its intent to negotiate a local treaty with the Victorian government.
DJARRA said it would now consult with its people about priorities for this treaty, with a focus on an increased say in legislation, being an authority in land management and creating more economic opportunities.
DJAARA’s land covers Greater Bendigo, Castlemaine and Daylesford in regional Victoria.
A treaty process is also underway at a state level in Victoria.
The South Australian government will introduce a number of new security measures in prisons across the state with nearly $7 million in funding over four years.
The new measures are aimed at preventing contraband entering prisons, and will include using high-tech security scanners in prisons including Port Augusta and Mobilong.
New body scanners were also recently installed at Yatala Labour Prison and Adelaide Women’s Prison.
New barriers will also be installed at Adelaide Women’s Prisons to stop contraband being thrown over the perimeter fence.
The state government said it will also make further upgrades including cameras with in-built artificial intelligence.
“Safety is the number one priority for our prisons, so this government is doing more to protect the staff and prisoners,” SA Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said.
“We are cracking down on contraband so we can stop dangerous items entering correctional facilities.”
Reforms to South Australia’s child protection laws passed Parliament in early June.
According to Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard, the changes will “elevate the voices of children in decisions about their lives” and “enshrine the safety principle which ensures the safety of the child must always be the priority” when determining whether they are removed from a home.
The SA government said that the law “empowers” First Nations families to lead decision-making about their children.
But former Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People April Lawrie said that the changes have been “dressed up and glossed up as being culturally appropriate and supporting self-determination”.
“To me that’s not good enough because the state still holds the power, that is not how you actually support self-determination for Aboriginal people,” Lawrie said.
The ACT Ombudsman has released a major report on the use of force by ACT Police, finding a number of examples of policing that “unnecessarily inflamed situations”.
The ombudsman analysed more than 6000 reports of police uses of force between January 2019 and December 2023, and also viewed more than 200 pieces of body-worn camera footage and CCTV, and investigated 54 incidents involving force.
It found that in about a third of these cases, unprofessional behaviour by police officers, such as impatience, aggression or foul and abusive language, led to the situation unnecessarily escalating.
The report also found that incidents involving intoxicated people, those experiencing mental health issues and young people were particularly challenging, and urged the police force to increase the use of diversions and look at alternatives to custody for young people.
The use of force by police must be necessary, reasonable and proportionate to the threat or resistance.
The independent Western Australian prison inspector has flagged concerns that those from non-Christian faith backgrounds are not able to access chaplains and other services while incarcerated.
In a report on accessing chaplaincy and faith services, the WA Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services (OICS) said that people in custody who are not Christian are experiencing “difficulties engaging with religious leaders and practitioners from their faith group”.
It found that non-Christian faith providers were facing problems when trying to get approval to attend prisons in the state, and that there were regular requests from within prisons for their services.
In its response to the report, the WA government agreed in principle to review alternative models for delivering these services to meet the inter-faith needs of those in prison, and to formally incorporate non-Christian and Aboriginal organisations into chaplaincy.
The Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services (OICS) recently published its findings on the inspection of court custody centres in Western Australia. The OICS expressed concern about unhygienic blankets that were used multiple times without wash, with staff explaining they handled the blankets using gloves.
The use of strip searches were criticised as degrading and traumatising. The OICS recommended that court custody centres invest in body scanning technology. There was confusion among staff surrounding policies for strip searching young people, with some staff refusing to strip search young people under any circumstances. The OICS iterated that the Court Security and Custodial Services Act 1999 outlines clear circumstances of subjecting a person “apparently 10 or more years of age” to a strip search when entering a court premise.
Some of the older courthouses have no elevators or passageways between the custody area and the courts, meaning that people were handcuffed and escorted through public areas. The OICS noted this was undignified and distressing for people requiring a wheelchair and could potentially influence the jury members, impacting the notion of a fair trial free of bias.
A ban on the sale of machetes is now in effect in Victoria, with the state government saying this is the toughest ban of its kind in Australia.
The sale of large, broad-bladed cutting knives is now banned in the state, whether in-store or online, with no exemptions.
The ban does not affect the “legitimate use of existing goods owned by community members”, the state government said.
A legislated ban will be in place from September, and the purpose of the initial ban is to dry up supply of the weapons as much as possible before this.
Failing to comply with the machete ban will be a criminal offence.
The Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal Clans Organisation (DJARRA) has become the first group to announce its intent to negotiate a local treaty with the Victorian government.
DJARRA said it would now consult with its people about priorities for this treaty, with a focus on an increased say in legislation, being an authority in land management and creating more economic opportunities.
DJAARA’s land covers Greater Bendigo, Castlemaine and Daylesford in regional Victoria.
A treaty process is also underway at a state level in Victoria.
The South Australian government will introduce a number of new security measures in prisons across the state with nearly $7 million in funding over four years.
The new measures are aimed at preventing contraband entering prisons, and will include using high-tech security scanners in prisons including Port Augusta and Mobilong.
New body scanners were also recently installed at Yatala Labour Prison and Adelaide Women’s Prison.
New barriers will also be installed at Adelaide Women’s Prisons to stop contraband being thrown over the perimeter fence.
The state government said it will also make further upgrades including cameras with in-built artificial intelligence.
“Safety is the number one priority for our prisons, so this government is doing more to protect the staff and prisoners,” SA Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said.
“We are cracking down on contraband so we can stop dangerous items entering correctional facilities.”
Reforms to South Australia’s child protection laws passed Parliament in early June.
According to Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard, the changes will “elevate the voices of children in decisions about their lives” and “enshrine the safety principle which ensures the safety of the child must always be the priority” when determining whether they are removed from a home.
The SA government said that the law “empowers” First Nations families to lead decision-making about their children.
But former Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People April Lawrie said that the changes have been “dressed up and glossed up as being culturally appropriate and supporting self-determination”.
“To me that’s not good enough because the state still holds the power, that is not how you actually support self-determination for Aboriginal people,” Lawrie said.
The ACT Ombudsman has released a major report on the use of force by ACT Police, finding a number of examples of policing that “unnecessarily inflamed situations”.
The ombudsman analysed more than 6000 reports of police uses of force between January 2019 and December 2023, and also viewed more than 200 pieces of body-worn camera footage and CCTV, and investigated 54 incidents involving force.
It found that in about a third of these cases, unprofessional behaviour by police officers, such as impatience, aggression or foul and abusive language, led to the situation unnecessarily escalating.
The report also found that incidents involving intoxicated people, those experiencing mental health issues and young people were particularly challenging, and urged the police force to increase the use of diversions and look at alternatives to custody for young people.
The use of force by police must be necessary, reasonable and proportionate to the threat or resistance.
The New South Wales government has announced a “justice system package” which includes more than $100 million to address “rising demand” in the correctional system, as part of the state budget.
The funding for Corrective Services NSW will ensure it is “resourced to supervise offenders and will support their rehabilitation and reintegration”, the state government said.
The budget will also include $2.3 million for the NSW Victims Register, which allows eligible victims of serious crimes to be told of their right to sign up and receive information about the perpetrator of that crime’s sentence or order, location and parole eligibility.
A further $272.7 million will also go towards frontline domestic, family and sexual violence services.
Under the changes to the court system, from July anyone who has been refused bail by police in regional NSW will have their case then heard in a “virtual” court. In a statement, the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) raised concerns that these changes were being made without any additional funding being provided to it.
“This is going to be chaotic, dangerous and unjust,” ALS CEO Karly Warner said. “We are already seeing our clients languishing in police and court cells for dangerous periods of time waiting to make a bail application due to increases in remand following changes the NSW government has made.
“The NSW government has now made changes to policy without considering the impact on Aboriginal people and the Aboriginal Legal Service.”
A review has suggested a number of changes to make Queensland’s court system faster and more modern.
The changes recommended include allowing defendants and lawyers to appear virtually.
The Magistrates Courts deal with 95% of all criminal prosecutions in the state, using the 138-year-old Justices Act.
The Queensland government has announced it will work to replace this with a new Criminal Procedure (Magistrates Court) Bill.
This new legislation will focus on efficiency, greater consistency, improved clarity and reduced delays, the state government said.
The Queensland government has signalled it is considering making public drunkenness and public urination crimes again, less than two years after they were decriminalised.
Queensland Minister for Police Dan Purdie said that the removal of those two offences has “hamstrung the police to be able to take action”.
The decriminalisation of public drunkenness was a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, and Queensland was the last state to act on this reform.
Queensland Human Rights Commissioner Scott McDougall said this would “represent another blow in a continuing assault on the rights of First Nations people in Queensland”.
“To reintroduce a public drunkenness offence would signal that the Queensland government has no interest in Closing the Gap or reducing deaths in custody,” McDougall said.
Tasmanians will vote again on 19 July after a no-confidence motion was passed against Premier Jeremy Rockliff, the fourth state election in seven years
and just 16 months after the most recent poll.
The no-confidence vote came soon after the Liberal government handed down its budget, which included a 7% boost to law and order spending and $25 million to address pressures within the prison system.
These budget items have not yet passed Parliament and their future is unclear with the recently called election.
The budget also allocated $25 million to prisons in the state to address prison officer costs and other expenses such as water, food, clothing and bedding.
A further $2.5 million annually would have gone towards maintaining critical infrastructure at the Risdon prison.
The budget also included $250,000 annually over the next two years to continue drug and alcohol intervention therapeutic support in prisons for two years, and $496,000 to continue the delivery of programs to reduce reoffending and promote community safety, including Men’s Resources Tasmania, Speech Pathology Tasmania and Dress for Success Hobart’s Welcome Back initiative.
Hundreds of mourners gathered outside the Northern Territory parliament alongside the family and community of First Nations man Kumanjayi White, who died in police custody in Alice Springs in late May.
They have called for an independent investigation into his death, but this has been rejected by the Northern Territory Chief Minister.
The 24-year-old Yuendumu man died after being restrained by police officers at a supermarket in Alice Springs. His family has said that he had disabilities and was living away from his community in support accommodation.
Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy has also said it’s important for there to be an investigation independent of the NT Police, but this has been rejected by the NT Police Force.
A 68-year-old senior Elder from the Kardu Rak Kirnmu clan died in police custody at a hospital in Darwin in early June.
Known as TN after his death, the man was a “great visionary and educator”, the Thamarrurr Development Corporation said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the AFP said TN had been taken to the hospital for “sobering up” after being detained at the airport when trying to board a flight. They said he experienced a “sudden and serious medical episode” after arriving at the hospital.
The Northern Territory Police Force is now investigating the death on behalf of the Coroner.
The New South Wales government has announced a “justice system package” which includes more than $100 million to address “rising demand” in the correctional system, as part of the state budget.
The funding for Corrective Services NSW will ensure it is “resourced to supervise offenders and will support their rehabilitation and reintegration”, the state government said.
The budget will also include $2.3 million for the NSW Victims Register, which allows eligible victims of serious crimes to be told of their right to sign up and receive information about the perpetrator of that crime’s sentence or order, location and parole eligibility.
A further $272.7 million will also go towards frontline domestic, family and sexual violence services.
Under the changes to the court system, from July anyone who has been refused bail by police in regional NSW will have their case then heard in a “virtual” court. In a statement, the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) raised concerns that these changes were being made without any additional funding being provided to it.
“This is going to be chaotic, dangerous and unjust,” ALS CEO Karly Warner said. “We are already seeing our clients languishing in police and court cells for dangerous periods of time waiting to make a bail application due to increases in remand following changes the NSW government has made.
“The NSW government has now made changes to policy without considering the impact on Aboriginal people and the Aboriginal Legal Service.”
A review has suggested a number of changes to make Queensland’s court system faster and more modern.
The changes recommended include allowing defendants and lawyers to appear virtually.
The Magistrates Courts deal with 95% of all criminal prosecutions in the state, using the 138-year-old Justices Act.
The Queensland government has announced it will work to replace this with a new Criminal Procedure (Magistrates Court) Bill.
This new legislation will focus on efficiency, greater consistency, improved clarity and reduced delays, the state government said.
The Queensland government has signalled it is considering making public drunkenness and public urination crimes again, less than two years after they were decriminalised.
Queensland Minister for Police Dan Purdie said that the removal of those two offences has “hamstrung the police to be able to take action”.
The decriminalisation of public drunkenness was a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, and Queensland was the last state to act on this reform.
Queensland Human Rights Commissioner Scott McDougall said this would “represent another blow in a continuing assault on the rights of First Nations people in Queensland”.
“To reintroduce a public drunkenness offence would signal that the Queensland government has no interest in Closing the Gap or reducing deaths in custody,” McDougall said.
Tasmanians will vote again on 19 July after a no-confidence motion was passed against Premier Jeremy Rockliff, the fourth state election in seven years
and just 16 months after the most recent poll.
The no-confidence vote came soon after the Liberal government handed down its budget, which included a 7% boost to law and order spending and $25 million to address pressures within the prison system.
These budget items have not yet passed Parliament and their future is unclear with the recently called election.
The budget also allocated $25 million to prisons in the state to address prison officer costs and other expenses such as water, food, clothing and bedding.
A further $2.5 million annually would have gone towards maintaining critical infrastructure at the Risdon prison.
The budget also included $250,000 annually over the next two years to continue drug and alcohol intervention therapeutic support in prisons for two years, and $496,000 to continue the delivery of programs to reduce reoffending and promote community safety, including Men’s Resources Tasmania, Speech Pathology Tasmania and Dress for Success Hobart’s Welcome Back initiative.
Hundreds of mourners gathered outside the Northern Territory parliament alongside the family and community of First Nations man Kumanjayi White, who died in police custody in Alice Springs in late May.
They have called for an independent investigation into his death, but this has been rejected by the Northern Territory Chief Minister.
The 24-year-old Yuendumu man died after being restrained by police officers at a supermarket in Alice Springs. His family has said that he had disabilities and was living away from his community in support accommodation.
Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy has also said it’s important for there to be an investigation independent of the NT Police, but this has been rejected by the NT Police Force.
A 68-year-old senior Elder from the Kardu Rak Kirnmu clan died in police custody at a hospital in Darwin in early June.
Known as TN after his death, the man was a “great visionary and educator”, the Thamarrurr Development Corporation said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the AFP said TN had been taken to the hospital for “sobering up” after being detained at the airport when trying to board a flight. They said he experienced a “sudden and serious medical episode” after arriving at the hospital.
The Northern Territory Police Force is now investigating the death on behalf of the Coroner.
Including tough bail laws being introduced in Victoria, the South Australian Government ruling out raising the age of criminal responsibility, a new parole board president appointed in Queensland and more.
The Australian Federal election is coming up. This is about voting for the Prime Minister and other federal politicians. It will be held on 3 May 2025.
“We can’t get information about how a party or candidate’s policies must impact prisoners,” Kelly told About Time. “Prison officers also will not provide us with any information as it is seen as political.”
Prison work differs across the country.
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