Media Releases

MEDIA RELEASE Monday 9 May 2022   The Aboriginal Legal Service is saddened to hear of the passing of Judge Peter Zahra and has expressed its condolences to his family. “Judge was a close friend of the Aboriginal Legal Service. He was a mentor, friend and role model to many of our lawyers over the years,” said Karly Warner, CEO of the...

MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday 3 May 2022, 2:00 pm   The Aboriginal Legal Service has welcomed the findings of a NSW Parliament inquiry into the Coroner’s Court, saying the Court could help prevent future Aboriginal deaths in custody. A parliamentary committee found the current system is overloaded, underfunded and lacks power to create change, making 35 recommendations to improve how the state conducts...

MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday 5 April 2022, 4:00pm   The Aboriginal Legal Service is calling for a NSW police officer to face criminal charges after a disturbing incident in which he touched the exposed nipple and stomach of an Aboriginal boy. The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) found the officer engaged in serious misconduct in his treatment of the 15-year-old boy, who was...

MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday 5 April 2022   After many years under the auspices of the Aboriginal Legal Service, Just Reinvest NSW and Maranguka have begun a new chapter as independent organisations. Just Reinvest NSW began in 2011 as a strategic initiative of the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Limited (ALS), seeking to keep Aboriginal young people out of custody by investing in community-led...

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE Friday 1 April 2022 The passing of the Perrottet government’s new anti-protest law will undermine the ability of everyone in NSW to exercise their freedom to protest, a group of environmental, social justice and human rights organisations has warned. The organisations slammed the bill, which was passed by the Legislative Council on Friday after being rushed through in less...

MEDIA RELEASE Joint release with AbSec  Monday 28 March 2022   The state’s peak Aboriginal organisations for children, families and legal services are urging NSW politicians to back long-overdue reforms supporting Aboriginal kids in contact with the child protection system. The Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Amendment (Family is Culture Review) Bill 2022 has passed the Upper House and is...

MEDIA ALERT   When: From 10am, Saturday 19 March 2022 Where: Starting in Jellicoe Park, Warialda Street, Moree What: A peaceful march from Jellicoe Park through the Moree CBD   The family of 22-year-old Gomeroi man Gordon Copeland, who died in a police operation last year, have invited supporters and media to join them in a rally for justice. “We are rallying...

MEDIA RELEASE Wednesday 23 February 2022, 2:30 p.m.   The family of 16-year-old Thungutti boy Jai Wright, who died in a police operation over the weekend, have thanked the community for their support and asked for space to grieve. Jai’s family will not be making any further comments at this point in time. They also want the community to know they are...

MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday 30 November 2021   Ahead of appearing before a parliamentary inquiry into the Coroner’s Court on Tuesday morning, the Aboriginal Legal Service is urging parliamentarians to address the deficit in healthcare across NSW prisons. Sarah Crellin, Acting Principal Legal Officer at the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Limited (ALS), is appearing before the Inquiry into the Coronial Jurisdiction in New...