“Labor has been in power for the best part of two and a half decades. During that time the incarceration rates for Canberra have increased significantly,” writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.

“We’ve been talking about Closing the Gap for 20 years” argued Independent MLA Thomas Emerson and the report on addressing indigenous incarceration in the ACT, “reveals systemic failure to improve outcomes for First Nations people.”

Action on this travesty is long overdue.

Emerson pointed out that “First Nations’ children in the ACT are 12.5 times more likely to be in out-of-home care, First Nations young people are 14 times more likely to be in youth detention, and First Nations adults are 22.7 times more likely to be incarcerated”. 

The release of a joint statement on the report by five of the seven government ministers is the first indication of the government’s willingness to implement recommendations of the Jumbunna Institute Independent Review into the Over Representation of First Nations People in the ACT Criminal Justice System. 

This report forms the second stage of the review conducted by the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research that is based at the University of Technology in Sydney. It seeks to have the ACT government take specific and strong action to address out-of-control rates of indigenous incarceration in our community.

The 99 recommendations in the report require significant across portfolios action. The ministers’ joint media release stated that “the ACT government remains committed to reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our justice system”. 

Chris Cunneen, professor of criminology at the Jumbunna Institute explained: “Jumbunna has provided the ACT government with a comprehensive blueprint for tackling the problem of First Nations over-representation in the criminal legal system”.

“Our report has practical recommendations for reform related to a range of matters involving child protection, youth justice, policing, bail, sentencing, the AMC and post-release support”.

In a nutshell, he argues the report addresses “systemic racism and improving processes for First Nations decision-making and government accountability”.

Prof Cunneen’s comments came with a warning. 

“One of the greatest dangers facing our review is that government agencies will continue to reproduce a siloed effect by only reading the sections of this report they think applies to them, without seeing the totality and interconnectedness for change that is required,” he said.

The chief minister has allowed his bevy of ministers with responsibility across the range of issues to publicly and jointly commit to change.

Four of the five ministers are relatively new to the cabinet. Only Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry has been in the government over the years of deterioration.

Labor has been in power for the best part of two and a half decades. During that time the incarceration rates for Canberra have increased significantly. 

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders there has been an exponential increase. And this is at a time when governments have been committed for two decades to the Close the Gap initiative.

This is a scathing reflection on their failures. As Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Suzanne Orr points out: “The over representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the justice system is one of the starkest examples of where our systems and institutions are failing”. 

The other key minister is Dr Marisa Paterson, as Minister for Corrections. The challenges she faces are extreme. At least there is now a plan on how to address these extreme challenges in the corrections system. 

She argues: “This review provides a valuable and necessary roadmap for deeper reform. I am committed to ensuring our correctional system is safe, culturally appropriate and genuinely rehabilitative.”

At least there is an initial blueprint to turn this atrocious government failure around. .

At least there is an initial blueprint to turn this atrocious government failure around. A reduction in indigenous imprisonment would also significantly reduce the overall rate of incarcerated people in Canberra.

As Emerson noted: “The Jumbunna Review has to mark a turning point for the ACT. We need to do so much better than this.”

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.