Indigenous rights advocate slams Aboriginal Affairs Minister’s ‘deafening’ silence on youth justice issues

A PROMINENT Indigenous rights advocate has called on Aboriginal Affairs Minister Selena Uibo to “stand aside” following her “deafening” silence on Labor’s youth justice reforms

A PROMINENT Indigenous rights advocate has called on Aboriginal Affairs Minister Selena Uibo to “stand aside” following her “deafening” silence on Labor’s youth justice reforms.

Amnesty International Australia Indigenous Rights Adviser Rodney Dillon slammed the youth crime measures laid out by Chief Minister Michael Gunner, Police Minister Nicole Manison and Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker yesterday.

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Mr Dillon said the measures would only cause more problems for Aboriginal kids, who represented the vast majority of kids in the youth justice system.

“If you don’t put money into addressing the issues you’ll just keep locking them up and making career criminals. Those places are quicksand of crime.”

He said he was disappointed about Ms Uibo’s silence on the matter considering how much the measures were set to impact Aboriginal Territorians.

Rodney Dillon slammed the government’s youth crime measures. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

“Where’s the Minister Aboriginal Affairs speaking up? They’re there to represent Aboriginal people, their silence is deafening,” Mr Dillon said.

“If they’re not going to stand up for Aboriginal Affairs they should stand aside.”

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Selena Uibo said the changes would lead to less reoffending from youth criminals.

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“One of my most important jobs is reducing Aboriginal incarceration, which is why our government is delivering Australia’s first Aboriginal Justice Agreement, which puts Aboriginal Territorians at the centre of the justice system and provides a strong platform for Aboriginal voice and the ongoing work needed in the justice space,” she said.

Acting Children’s Commissioner Sally Sievers also spoke out about the measures, saying she was “very concerned” about the impact they will have on kids and that they were not in line with “evidence based approaches to community safety.