1 December 2022
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children belong with their families and communities. They have the right to grow up safe and strong in their culture, with connections to Country.
But right now, the NSW Department of Communities and Justice removes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their homes and families at 12 times the rate of their non-Indigenous friends and schoolmates.
The practice of removing Aboriginal children from their families and culture has been happening since invasion. Today’s child protection system in NSW has resonance with historical practices used in creating the Stolen Generations – we know this because Aboriginal families have told us so, and it was confirmed by the independent 2019 Family Is Culture Review. This must not be allowed to continue.
While the recent passage of the Family Is Culture Bill represents some improvement, this is just one small step down a long road of reform. And while this road is long, it is imperative that we keep moving with urgency – because childhood is short, and almost 7,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in NSW will go to sleep tonight separated from their parents. Far too many of these kids will never return to their family or community.
We the undersigned are urging the next NSW Parliament to do the right thing for Aboriginal children and reform a child protection system that has been shown to actively harm them, by taking urgent action to fully implement the Family is Culture recommendations in genuine partnership with AbSec, the Aboriginal Legal Service, and Aboriginal communities.
To add the name of your organisation and Chair/CEO to the open letter, please email [email protected].
Signed by:
- Karly Warner, CEO, Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Limited
- John Leha, CEO, AbSec - NSW Child, Family and Community Peak Aboriginal Corporation
- Jonathan Hunyor, CEO, Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
- UTS Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research
- Belinda Kendall, CEO, Curijo Pty Ltd
- Carly Stanley, CEO and CO-Founder, Deadly Connections
- Central Tablelands and Blue Mountains Community Legal Centre
- Christina Pirina, Principal Solicitor, Macarthur Legal Centre
- Christine Robinson, CEO, Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre Inc.
- Community Legal Centres NSW
- Dr Lisa J. Griffiths, CEO, OzChild
- FAMS
- First People’s Disability Network FPDN
- Gail Thorne, First Nations Senior Community Access Officer, Women’s Legal Service NSW First Nation Women Legal Program
- Geoffrey Winters, CEO, Just Reinvest NSW
- (Adjunct Professor) George Newhouse, CEO, National Justice Project
- Hunter Community Legal Centre
- Jack de Groot, CEO, St Vincent de Paul Society (NSW)
- Janene Cootes, Executive Officer, Intellectual Disability Rights Service
- John Hallam, CEO, Western Sydney Community Legal Centre
- Justice Connect
- Keenan Mundine, Deputy CEO and Co-Founder, Deadly Connections
- Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation
- Leo Patterson Ross, CEO, Tenants’ Union of NSW
- Lyn Morgan, Chief Executive, Oxfam Australia
- NCOSS
- Nick Espie, Legal Director, Human Rights Law Centre
- Nick Hudson, Acting CEO, Knowmore Legal Service
- North & North West Community Legal Service
- NSW Aboriginal Women’s Advisory Network
- Paul Wright, National Director, ANTAR
- Philip Naden, CEO, Coonamble Aboriginal Health Services
- Redfern Legal Centre
- Sarah Breusch, Acting Director, University of Newcastle Legal Centre
- Simone Hudson, CEO, Gudjagang Ngara li-dhi Aboriginal Corporation
- Sym’mon Andrews, Principal Solicitor, Central Coast Community Legal Centre
- The Animal Defenders Office
- The Benevolent Society
- Thiyama-li Family Violence Legal Service
- Trina Jones, CEO, Homelessness NSW
- Wayne Griffiths, CEO, Winanga-Li
- Wendy Knight, CEO/Principal Officer, Ngunya Jarjum Aboriginal Child and Family Network
- Yvette Vignando, CEO, South West Sydney Legal Centre
- Zoë Robinson, Advocate for Children and Young People (NSW)
- Professional Individualised Care
- NSW Aboriginal Land Council
- Dana Clarke, CEO, Burrun Dalai Aboriginal Corporation
- Australian Lawyers for Human Rights
- International Association of People's Lawyers (IAPL)
- Marrickville Legal Centre
- Change The Record
- Mums 4 Refugees
- Human Rights for NSW Alliance
- SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children