Probation and parole staff in Cairns, Australia hold an annual morning tea to recognize the contributions of local Indigenous Elders. At the most recent event, 11 Elders and representatives were welcomed and discussed initiatives to address substance abuse and violence among young people. The Elders also shared successes in their communities, such as a new youth group. Staff said the gathering allows them to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and strengthen collaboration.

1. Corrections NEWS Leaders in corrections:
Partners in criminal and social justice
June 2011
Forthepastthreeyears,staffattheCairnsProbationand
ParoleDistrictOfficehaveheldamorningteatorecognisethe
outstandingcontributionslocalIndigenousEldersmaketothe
provisionofProbationandParoleservices.
TheannualeventservestoacknowledgetheEldersandtheirpivotal
roleintheCairnscommunityandtheMurriCourt.
Atthisyear’seventon7June,11EldersandIndigenouscommunity
representativeswerewelcomedbytheCairnsDistrictOfficestaff,
includingFarNorthernRegionalManagerAllanVanEyssen,Cultural
LiaisonOfficerRebeccaSimmons,SeniorProgramDeliveryOfficer
KylieNixandCairnsDistrictManagerBrettWilson.
TheEldersweregivenatouroftheofficeandenjoyedagoodyarn
andmorningteawithCairnsProbationandParolestaff.
TheyalsodiscussedQCS’recentcommunityconsultationsand
evaluationoftheIndigenous-specificEndingFamilyViolenceand
EndingOffendingPrograms,aswellasthenewSubstanceAbuse
andTransitionalSupportOfficertheAurukuncommunitywillbe
receivingasaresultofatwo-yearinitiativejointlyfundedbyQCSand
theDepartmentofCommunities.
RebeccaSimmonssaidtheElderswantedtolearnmoreaboutways
ProbationandParolecouldcontinuetocollaboratewithcommunity
stakeholderstoreduceoffendingasaresultofsubstanceabuse.
‘Inparticular,theEldersexpressedgreatconcernforthecontinued
alcoholandcannabisabusebytheiryoungpeopleandongoing
substanceabuse-fuelledviolence,’shesaid.
‘TheywereverykeentoexplorehowinitiativessuchasMurriCourt,
theEndingFamilyViolenceandEndingOffendingprograms,and
improvedcasemanagementpracticescouldbeusedtobetter
addresstheseissues.’
DespitethemanychallengesfacingIndigenouspeoplethroughout
theFarNorthernRegion,theElderswereeagertoshareinthemany
successestheyhaveachieved.
Onesuchsuccessistherecentestablishmentofayouthgroupin
Cairnswheremorethan30youngpeoplegatherweeklytoengagein
pro-socialsportingandtraditionalactivities.
RebeccasaidtheannualgatheringofEldersandCairnsDistrict
OfficestaffallowedQCStogivethanksforthegreatandvariedwork
carriedoutbytheEldersandlocalJusticeGroups,andalsoprovided
aforuminwhichstaffcouldlearnmoreaboutAboriginalandTorres
StraitIslanderculturesandpeople.
‘IwasthrilledtohavelearnedthatourEldersandJusticeGroup
membersinattendancetodaycamefrommanydifferentareas,
includingSpringCreekStationnearGeorgetown,ThursdayIsland,
YorkIsland,BaduIsland,CairnsandevenasfarawayasBroome,
WesternAustralia.
‘Itwasaninvaluableexperiencetolearnmoreaboutthecultures
andhearthestoriestoldintheroom,’shesaid.
KylieNixsaidcommunityguidanceandcollaborationwascrucial
toreducingtheover-representationofIndigenouspeopleinthe
correctionalsystem.
‘Individualssuchasthosepresenttodayholdthekeytoguiding
usonhowwecanovercomehistoricalchallengesandassistinthe
developmentofIndigenouspeople’sstrengthsandcapacities.’
AllanvanEyssensaidthecollaborativeapproachofIndigenous
representativesandProbationandParolewassupportingthe
Agency’sClosingtheGapstrategy,withmorethan145offenders
receivinggeneraloffendingprogramsinthefarNorthernRegion
sinceJuly2010.
‘TherecentlysignedMemorandumofUnderstandingbetweenQCS,
theDepartmentofCommunitiesandtheRoyalFlyingDoctorService
willaffordustheopportunitytodeliverevenmoreIndigenous
programstotheprioritycommunitiesofAurukun,Coen,HopeVale
andMossmanGorgethroughoutthe2011/2012financialyear.
‘Theseadditionalresourceswillensurecommunity-supervised
offenderswillbenefitfromprogramstargetedatreducingthe
incidenceandimpactoffamilyviolence,substanceabuseand
generaloffending,’Allansaid.
CairnsProbationandParolecelebratesthecontributionsofElders
ElevenIndigenousEldersandcommunityrepresentativesvisitedthe
CairnsDistrictOfficeon7Junefortheannualmorningteatocelebrate
theircontributiontotheprovisionofProbationandParoleservices