Allan government fulfils long-awaited promise on Youth Justice Bill
After years of consultation and negotiations with the legal sector and key stakeholders, the Allan Labor Government today introduced a Youth Justice Bill to Victorian Parliament. VALS welcomes the introduction of the Bill as it fulfils Labor’s promise to better protect our children and young people. After a number of failed promises and senseless delays […]
‘Time to act now’: Next iteration of NLAP should prioritise self-determination and access to justice for Aboriginal Communities
In the middle of Reconciliation Week, the Attorney General’s Department has released the final report of the National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) independent Review. The NLAP Review, led by Dr Warren Mundy, has made a suite of much-needed recommendations to better provide access to justice for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Many of these […]
Aboriginal women and children’s rights and needs are silenced in this year’s Federal Budget
In a suite of family violence reforms announced at last night’s Federal Budget, the rights to safety and culturally safe legal support for Aboriginal women and children were invisible. It is utterly shameful. This is a continuance of colonial violence against Aboriginal women, children and families. Our lives matter, we will not stop fighting for […]
Budget reveals yet again that Allan Labor Government pays lip service to Aboriginal self-determination
Today, the Victorian Government announced an additional four years of base-level funding for VALS’ specialist Balit Ngulu and Baggarrook programs with a commitment for these programs to be made ongoing from the 2027/2028 Financial Year. While VALS welcomes this announcement, the lack of increased resources to accommodate the ever-expanding demand for these services presents a […]
Changes to VALS’ means testing to increase legal support access for Aboriginal people
All Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people deserve access to culturally safe legal services, no matter what their income is. As of today, VALS will begin a staged approach to changing its eligibility requirements, making our services easier to access. Experiences of racism are not limited by income brackets, and all Aboriginal people should be […]
Heather Calgaret: Coronial Inquest begins
The coronial inquest into the death in custody of Heather Calgaret will begin on Monday 29 April 2024 at the Coroner’s Court of Victoria and is scheduled to run for four weeks. Heather Calgaret was a proud Yamatji, Noongar, Wongi and Pitjantjatjara woman. She was born in Dandenong and was the middle child of her […]
Justice for Aboriginal people requires transformational change – not government paralysis
The Victorian Government response to the Yoorrook for Justice report is unworthy of the heart wrenching truths that were told at the Yoorrook Justice Commission. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria have done the hard work to share their stories to the Yoorrook Justice Commission and paint their picture of a better future […]
VALS supports Allan Government’s rejection of protest permits
In Victoria, freedom of speech is enshrined in the state’s Charter of Human Rights. This right must be protected. Yesterday, the Victorian Police Association called for a permit system to be implemented to control and limit protests that occur in Victoria, in yet another knee-jerk reaction to inflammatory media reports that are not representative of […]
Victorian Government Betrays Aboriginal Children
Today, the Attorney-General, Jaclyn Symes, announced her decision to ditch vital bail reforms for children that would have reduced the over-incarceration of Aboriginal children and instead announced a trial of a surveillance project to monitor children. This trial could see kids being subject to monitoring and surveillance without ever being found guilty of anything. The […]
Peter Dutton cannot be allowed to sacrifice Aboriginal children’s lives
Quotes Attributable to Nerita Waight, CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service: “Our children deserve to be safe and have the support they need to live a good life, connected to culture, community, and Country.” “It is incredibly distressing to see Peter Dutton and the Federal Coalition seek to enter a Bill that would take […]