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  • 7 months ago
Pressure is growing for the Prime Minister to take action to address the disproportionate incarceration of Indigenous Australians in the wake of Kumanjayi White's death in police custody.

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00:00Almost a month on from Kuminjai White's death, wounds are still raw as the Territory doubles
00:08down on its tough on crime approach.
00:11His grandfather has written to the Prime Minister supporting calls for federal action on immediate
00:16justice reform.
00:18You promised we can close the gap.
00:20Well, Prime Minister, the gap is getting wider and fast.
00:24A group of First Nations Children's Commissioners has now added their voices to a growing chorus
00:29calling for federal justice reform.
00:31Rather than supporting children and families to live healthy, happy lives, we punish children
00:37and families.
00:39We need to treasure our children, not torture them.
00:41They argue youth crime crackdowns in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern
00:46Territory are placing the nation in contravention of its international human rights obligations.
00:52We are standing in the middle of an incredible storm and at the centre of that storm are children
00:57in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
01:00Those children that as a country we should be investing in right now.
01:04States and Territories are responsible for adult and youth justice policy, but Australia
01:09has national closing the gap commitments it's not on track to meet.
01:13First Nations children continue to be imprisoned at much higher rates than non-First Nations
01:19children, while in the adult justice system the incarceration gap is widening.
01:24Overwhelmingly the justice systems are controlled by State and Territory governments, but Malindiri
01:31McCarthy is someone who's very passionate about representing the needs of Indigenous Australians
01:38and she is doing a fantastic job.
01:40With 598 Indigenous deaths in custody since this former minister tabled a Royal Commission
01:46into the issue.
01:48I beg of him to show leadership to get this issue before the National Cabinet.
01:54A plea to learn from lessons of the past.
01:57Chancellor's
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