Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee

The Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee Network (RAJAC) is an initiative of the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement, and is based on Recommendation 2 of the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

Funded by the Department of Justice, each RAJAC is responsible for developing the Regional Aboriginal Justice Plans. RAJACs also have a role in reporting and monitoring the local and regional implementation of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement.

There are six RAJACs whose boundaries are based on Department of Human Services areas. These are Melbourne, Hume, Grampians, Gippsland, Loddon Mallee, and Barwon South West. Melbourne RAJAC consists of 17 members: 11 community members, and 6 non-community members. The other RAJACs are made up of 9 community members and 6 non-community members.

Membership of RAJAC is voluntary; however, each region is assisted by a paid Executive Officer. Each RAJAC has a community representative from the Community Justice Panel, Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and the ATSIC regional council. Melbourne area has a representative of both Binjirru and Tambukka Regional Councils. The six non-community members on each of the Committees will comprise representatives from Local Government, Department of Human Services, Magistrate’s Court, Community Corrections and Victoria Police. As such, RAJACs provide a link between the Aboriginal community, Aboriginal services and government agencies. This means RAJACs provide the potential for a united approach to policies and other issues facing Indigenous people in Victoria.

For more information, contact the Indigenous Issues Unit at the Department of Justice on 9651 0333.