Just News
Welcome back to Just News. In today's edition: a milestone in our advocacy to raise the age of criminal responsibility, The Men's Project is on the radio, and our Northern Territory team visits Mparntwe (Alice Springs). On the calendar of the Wurundjeri people – from whose country Just News is scribed – we're moving from the hot, dry biderap season, and into the cooler iuk (eel) season, where we see manna gum flowering and longer, cooler nights. Enjoy the edition.
Victoria announces plan to #RaiseTheAge!
We've advocated for this compassionate and evidence-based justice reform for over a decade, and are thrilled with this news – but as our media release reminded the government, it's imperative that the age be raised from 10 to a minimum of 14 years, with no exceptions.
NT team visits Mparntwe (Alice Springs)
Peter, Sally and Claire from our Northern Territory team connected with the sector and listened to the community, amid headlines about Alice Springs' rising youth crime rate – read a summary of their visit, then check Peter's Alice Springs op-ed in our media wrap below.
Worth A Second Chance webinar wrap-up
Our expert panel webinar on 7 March explored the complex factors contributing to young people getting caught in the criminal justice system, and how might we intervene to allow them to get on a better path – watch the full recording or read our wrap-up below.
Engaging with Voice, Treaty and truth-telling
2023 is a landmark year for First Nations justice, and we want to support staff to engage with important current topics. Read our round-up of updates across the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, Yoorrook Justice Commission, Victoria's Treaty process + more.
Staff invited to learn about Victorian Treaty process
Victoria is on a journey towards negotiating a Treaty between First Peoples and Government, and we have access to an in-person and live-streamed information session on 14 March at 3-4pm AEDT. Email staff.training@jss.org.au with your line manager cced in to RSVP.
Business Support Services
Important updates from our operations teams.
Diversity Council of Australia membership
Jesuit Social Services is a member organisation with the Diversity Council of Australia. The Council is the independent not-for-profit peak body leading diversity and inclusion in Australian workplaces. As a member, Jesuit Social Services' staff can set up our own accounts to access resources, information and events. Learn more and register your account, and learn more about the benefits of membership.
Media, news and events
Dates to add to your diary and Jesuit Social Services in the news.
Media
Peter Solly, who leads our Northern Territory program, had an op-ed published in the NT News last week, calling for greater accountability and resourcing in the Northern Territory to enable public health responses, not punitive measures, for young people in trouble and their families.
And the Men's Project is in the media again – executive director Matt Tyler scored Letter of the Day in the Herald Sun, calling for deeper examination of the underlying reasons for male violence and struggling – and our primary prevention manager Michael Hail spoke to ABC Ballarat about our Modelling Respect and Equality workshop with 20 local men in Colac.
And influential Jesuit, Mark Raper SJ, visited our Richmond central office to share his experiences living and advocating for human rights and justice in Myanmar. If you missed the in-person or Zoom conversation, you can listen to a recording here.
Events
Our Annual Dinner is just around the corner! The Annual Dinner celebrates the work of Jesuit Social Services and is our most significant fundraiser. We're honoured to have Senator Malarndirri McCarthy delivering our Frank Costigan QC Address. Senator McCarthy is a Yanyuwa Garrawa woman, the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians and Indigenous Health, and a Labor senator for the Northern Territory. Learn more and share the event with friends, family and sector colleagues here.
Ecological justice
How we're enacting our commitment to ecological justice across the organisation – acknowledging the intersection of social and environmental justice in everything we do.
Jesuit networks renews global advocacy strategy for justice in mining
Jesuit Social Services is a member of the global Justice in Mining Jesuit advocacy network. Inspired by Ignatian spirituality and the call of Laudato Si’ - Pope Francis’ call for us to care for our common home, the earth - the network seeks to discern and promote justice in conflicts related to mining and extractivism (large-scale extraction from the earth). In September 2022, Jack Piper, one of Jesuit Social Services’ two Ecological Justice Project Officers, joined the Justice in Mining Network at the Loyola Spirituality Centre in Spain to agree on a strategic plan to guide the network over the coming years.
Over the three days, members shared case studies from around the world, building a picture of widespread and persistent social and environmental harm done by mining, often marred by corruption and a lack of transparency. Jack heard about how these impacts often fall disproportionately on those who are already experiencing disadvantage, including women and girls and Indigenous communities, how the economic benefits of mining rarely end up in the hands of the local community, and how human rights and environmental defenders continue to be criminalised for upholding justice. Jack says the meeting was “a life changing experience.” You can read his full reflection here.
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