An investment of around $25 million over four years will deliver a multi-pronged initiative across agencies and support Aboriginal people in order to reduce incarceration rates.

The suite of measures will comprise:

• Yalakiana Tappa: Reducing Aboriginal Incarceration measures: Investing $11.2 million over four years for an Aboriginal community led initiatives including:
  • Community Support Program: A cultural reintegration, tenancy, and rehabilitation support program to assist incarcerated Aboriginal South Australians apply for bail, successfully comply with bail conditions, and address their treatment needs.
  • Accommodation and Support Program: A 12-week supported housing, tenancy, and rehabilitation program for Aboriginal people who do not have access to culturally safe accommodation.
  • Cultural Residential Drug and Alcohol Treatment Facility: a 12- week residential therapeutic community program for Aboriginal people who need intensive drug and alcohol treatment to support successful compliance with bail conditions.
  • Aboriginal Justice Agreement: An investment of $737 000 over two years to develop and implement an Aboriginal Justice Agreement (AJA). An AJA is a formal undertaking between government and Aboriginal communities to develop and implement a collaborative approach to improve justice outcomes.
  • Port Augusta Community Corrections Centre: Investing $4.6 million over four years to secure and fitout a new Port Augusta Community Corrections Centre. The existing facility is not fit for purpose and has been severely damaged by storm events. The new facility will support access to culturally appropriate rehabilitation and reintegration spaces for Aboriginal offenders.
  • Work Ready Release Ready Plus: An investment of $6.3 million over four years to support an overall reduction in incarceration, through an extension of the Work Ready Release Ready (WRRR) Program by increasing access to the program for more participants. The program provides rehabilitation and reintegration support including workforce participation upon release from custody, and will be available at the Port Augusta Prison, Adelaide Women’s Prison, Adelaide Pre-release Centre, Cadel Training Centre, Mobilong Prison, Port Lincoln Prison and Mt Gambier Prison.
  • Child diversion program: An investment of $1 million over two years to continue the program which diverts Aboriginal children aged between 10-13 years who have been charged with a minor offence away from a custodial environment with appropriate supports. This program also provides short-term accommodation where no other suitable bail option has been identified. This allows the young person to be placed back with family/kin with wrap around case management services.
  • Youth Aboriginal Community Court – Adelaide: A two-year trial of a specialist court for Aboriginal children and young people, to be known as YACCA. Expenditure of up to $716,250 for a culturally-responsive program that aims to disrupt escalation points in a young person’s offending, address trauma and criminogenic needs, implement protective factors and divert young people from further offending.

In South Australia, Aboriginal people are 12 times more likely to be imprisoned than the general population and over 60 percent of Aboriginal prisoners are on remand. Young Aboriginal people are overrepresented in youth detention by a factor of 18.

WRRR participants are statistically less likely to reoffend and more likely to gain employment post-release, compared with non-participants.

The package responds directly to recommendations made by the Advisory Commission into the Incarceration Rates of Aboriginal Peoples in South Australia.

The Commission was established as part of the Malinauskas Labor Government’s election commitment to find opportunities to transform the criminal justice system to address the rate at which Aboriginal people are imprisoned.

Advisory Commission members highlighted justice agreements as an important mechanism to support the work Government undertakes in partnership with Aboriginal communities to reduce incarceration rates and deliver improved outcomes in the justice system.

The Advisory Commission report, released today, also highlighted the need for an increased focus on support and rehabilitation.

Quotes attributable to Peter Malinauskas, Premier

South Australia has led the nation with the Voice to Parliament and reducing reoffending – and we are committed to lowering the over-representation of Aboriginal people in custody by at least 15 percent by 2031.

Evidence shows early contact with the criminal justice system leads to poorer health and wellbeing outcomes and increased risk of re-offense.

A multi-levelled approach, which spans generations, is imperative in reducing these rates, and vastly improving the lives of Aboriginal people.

Quotes attributable to Kyam Maher MLC, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs

The rates at which Aboriginal people are imprisoned is unacceptable. Past Government policy has not worked to change this state of affairs.

This needs to be addressed urgently. Providing a significant investment and concentrated effort will work to achieve the transformative change that is required.

Quotes attributable to Joe Szakacs MP, Minister for Police

Our government is committed to reducing recidivism and keeping Aboriginal South Australians away from our custody.

Programs such as Work Ready Release Ready is a proven working example of reducing reoffending rates that we are increasing funding in order to boost its capability.

These current successes, combined with substantial new investing in targets programs, will see South Australia continue to lead Australian jurisdictions in reducing reoffending.

Quotes attributable to Scott Wilson, South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON) Lead Convenor

SAACCON is pleased to see that the Malinauskas Labor government has reaffirmed the SA State Government's commitment to Closing the Gap as evidenced by the announcements in the State Government’s Budget.

We are pleased that in line with Priority Reform 2 SAACCON has received a four- year funding commitment to continue to build the capacity of ACCO’s sector in SA to meet our obligations under the National Agreement.

The State Government has also listened to and embraced Recommendations from the Commission to Reduce Incarceration Rates as established by Attorney-General Maher in announcing the establishment of an SA Aboriginal Justice Agreement.

Further it is pleasing to see announcements in this Budget that will address Target 11 by reducing the rates of Young Aboriginal people 10-17 with the announcements of the Child Diversion Projects 10-13 and the establishment of the Youth Aboriginal Community Court trial.

With the announcement in the Budget we believe they will also go a long way in meeting Target 10 which is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system.

SAACCON welcomes the announcements in the Budget as it also demonstrates the State Government’s commitment to working with the community in driving forward in a genuine partnership approach in collectively Closing the Gap in all areas of the National Agreement and we look forward to further working with the Malinauskas Labor Government moving ahead.