Self-Determination Will Decide the Success of the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission
MEDIA RELEASE 09 March 2021 Self-Determination Will Decide the Success of the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission VALS welcomes the opportunity that the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission presents and commends the Victorian Government for committing to a process that governments across Australia have denied to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Given Victoria will be “first and only […]
Charmaine Clarke and VALS welcome Anti-Vilification Protections Inquiry recommendations
MEDIA RELEASE 03 March 2021 Charmaine Clarke and VALS welcome Anti-Vilification Protections Inquiry recommendations Charmaine Clarke and VALS welcomes the final report of the Anti-Vilification Protections Inquiry tabled today by the Legal and Social Issues Committee. The committee has listened to the experiences of people like Charmaine and accepted their advice. VALS thanks Charmaine for […]
Unlocking Victorian Justice – Webinar 2
Aboriginal Community Justice Reports Project: Improving sentencing outcomes and reducing overincarceration of Aboriginal people Wednesday 10 March, 9am – 10.15am registration Link – Click here VALS invites you to the launch of the Aboriginal Community Justice Reports Project, which aims to improve sentencing processes and outcomes for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in the […]
Unlocking Victorian Justice series
OPCAT: An opportunity to prevent the ill-treatment, torture and death of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custody Wednesday 3 March, 9am – 10am Registration Link – Click here This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. However, since this watershed report was handed down, at least […]
Important Step Towards Justice for Tanya Day
MEDIA RELEASE 19 February 2021Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) Important Step Towards Justice for Tanya Day What happened to Tanya Day was a tragedy. That tragedy has been compounded because the Day family have had to fight for justice for so long. Their perseverance and courage are remarkable. The Victorian Government today passed a Bill […]
Blanket Facebook Bans are Racist
MEDIA RELEASE 18 February 2021Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) VALS is outraged that Facebook has blocked our page and the pages of many community organisations that represent marginalised groups as part of its political battle with the government and media outlets. To apply a blanket ban without considering marginalised groups is re-enforcing the systemic discrimination […]
Grill’d Local Matters initiative
Every vote helps us We are participating in the Grill’d Local Matters initiative for the month of February 2021. 100% of the donation money we receive from Grill’d will be used for VALS initiatives. Head to Grill’d Northland Shopping Centre. Every burger you buy you receive a token to put in the donation jar for […]
Building Back Better for Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
MEDIA RELEASE 8 February 2021 Building Back Better for Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People VALS has launched the Building Back Better: COVID-19 Recovery Plan to provide a strategy for the Victorian and Federal Governments to ensure Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not left behind during the pandemic and the pandemic […]
The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service supports the Aboriginal Community on Invasion Day
MEDIA RELEASE 25 January 2021 Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) Exercising the right to protest on Invasion Day is a reasonable action in response to the systemic racism and injustices Aboriginal people have been subjected to every day since this land’s violent colonisation. Victoria Police must not misuse COVID-19 health measures to impede the right […]
VALS Supports a Health Response to Public Intoxication
MEDIA RELEASE 30 November 2020 VALS Supports a Health Response to Public Intoxication, with Limited Police Involvement and Robust Safeguards VALS acknowledges the tireless advocacy of Tanya Day’s family, and shares their concerns that police involvement in a health response to public drunkenness comes with a risk of discriminatory policing of Aboriginal people. If, under […]