No images? Click here Yoorrook Justice Commission Issue No.5, April 2023 Yoorrook Given Twelve-Month Extension(L-R Commissioner the Hon Kevin Bell AM KC, Commissioner Travis Lovett, Chair Professor Eleanor Bourke AM, Deputy Chair Adjunct Professor Sue-Anne Hunter, Commissioner Distinguished Professor Maggie Walter) The Yoorrook Justice Commission will now run until June 2025 after being granted a 12-month extension by the Victorian Government. The extension provides vital additional time for Yoorrook to gather evidence on the systemic injustice faced by First Peoples in Victoria. This includes making bold recommendations for transformational change, including to support Victoria’s treaty making process. The Victorian Government also granted a two-month extension for Yoorrook to deliver its critical issues report on the Commission’s current inquiry into systemic injustice within the child protection and criminal justice systems. The report is now due at the end of August 2023.
Directions Hearings(Commissioners at the directions hearing) Senior bureaucrats and Ministers had been scheduled to give evidence to Yoorrook during hearings commencing Monday 27 March, as part of Yoorrook’s inquiry into systemic injustice experienced by First Peoples in Victoria’s criminal justice and child protection systems. Those hearings were delayed after the Victorian Government failed to meet deadlines to produce evidence as directed by Yoorrook. Yoorrook called a directions hearing on 27 March regarding the government’s non-compliance, and held a follow up directions hearing on 4 April. During the hearings, Yoorrook Commissioners reflected on the State’s responsiveness to date. Yoorrook Chair Eleanor Bourke stated:
Hearings with government witnesses are now likely to start at the end of April 2023. Dates will be advertised on the Yoorrook website and social media accounts as they are confirmed. The hearings will be open for the public to attend at level 9, 54 Wellington St Collingwood and livestreamed via the Yoorrook website and Facebook page. Community Voice HearingsFrom 1-9 March, Yoorrook heard from First Peoples who have first-hand experience of injustice in the child protection and criminal justice systems. More than 15 witnesses appeared before the Commission in a combination of public, closed and pre-recorded hearing sessions. Among many issues, witnesses spoke about the impact of child removal on generations of families; loss of connection with kin and culture resulting from child removal; intersections between the child protection and criminal justice systems; and the need to reform police accountability and oversight systems. The Commission heard significant evidence about systems that fail the people they are designed to help. Commissioners also heard of strength; of Community that comes together to support each other in hardship; and of recommendations for reform and renewal. At the end of the hearings, Aunty Stephanie Charles, who appeared as a witness, reflected powerfully on the importance of truth telling:
Aunty Stephanie Charles and Yoorrook Truth Receiver Lisa Thorpe Hearings Coverage and New Evidence Library on Yoorrook WebsiteYou can catch up on Yoorrook's hearings online by visiting the hearing section of the website. There you can view hearing videos, read transcripts or click on witness profiles to read their statements. There is also a recently added evidence library on the website where you can browse the materials published to date or search by witness, evidence type or topic. Commissioner EngagementsVisit by Sir Michael Marmot(L-R Commissioner Travis Lovett, Deputy Chair Sue-Anne Hunter, Chair Eleanor Bourke, Sir Michael Marmot, and Commissioner Kevin Bell) Commissioners were pleased to hold an expert interview on 14 March with Sir Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology at University College London and Director of its Institute of Health Equity. Sir Michael is also a Past President of the World Medical Association. Together, they discussed health inequality, the impact of racism and ongoing colonialism on health and other social determinants of health. IPPA International Women’s Day Gala(L-R Elly Patira, Magistrate Rose Falla, Aunty Geraldine Atkinson, Chair Eleanor Bourke, Angela Singh) On International Women’s Day, Yoorrook Chair Eleanor Bourke AM spoke about truth telling and the strength of Aboriginal women in front of 1,300 people at the IPAA International Women’s Day Gala. Chair Bourke spoke alongside other high profile Aboriginal women including Co-Chair of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria Aunty Geraldine Atkinson, Magistrate & Supervising Magistrate for Koori Justice Rose Falla and Deputy Secretary, First Peoples - State Relations at the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet (and former Yoorrook Interim CEO) Elly Patira. Truth Telling SubmissionsMake a SubmissionYoorrook invites all Victorian First Peoples to tell their truth by making a submission to the Commission. You can make a submission online or with the assistance of a Yoorrook Truth Receiver. To work with a Truth Receiver, please email enquires@yoorrook.org.au or call 1800 YOO RRK. Yoorrook Truth Receivers (L-R) Joseph Saunders, Tara Fry, Shanyne Morrall and Lisa Thorpe In your submission, you can share the truth about any injustice you like. For example, truths about:
Yoorrook will use the truths and experiences shared with the Commission to make recommendations for reform and create a new public record of the impacts of colonisation on First Peoples. Support AvailableYoorrook has a range of support available to people wanting to tell their truth. In addition to support available from Truth Receivers, Yoorrook offers free, confidential and safe social and emotional wellbeing services. Support might be a one-off yarn, ongoing counselling as you go through the truth telling process or connecting you with other services in your community. Social and emotional wellbeing support is completely led by you. You can get support before, during and after you tell your truth. You can find out more about Yoorrook’s Social and Emotional Wellbeing services here. Yoorrook also offers a free, confidential legal service that can give you advice about sharing your truth safely. The Lotjpa Legal Service is independent of Yoorrook and is run by Victoria Legal Aid and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service. Legal support is optional, and you can choose which provider you work with. You can find out more about Lotjpa here. It is time to tell your truthWe want to hear your truth about the impacts of colonisation on the First Peoples in Victoria. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and pay our respect to them, their culture and their Elders past and present. |