In a letter to the Yoorrook Justice Commission, Andrews said it was a “source of great shame” that First Peoples continue to be over-represented in the criminal justice and child protection systems.
Andrews said his government was committed to ensuring racism and injustice were confronted and addressed. He also said truth-telling was a critical element in building genuine reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous people in Victoria.
The submission also acknowledged that the state’s prisons failed to provide Indigenous people with cultural support and contributed to long-term negative social, economic and health impacts across First Nations communities in Victoria. On Thursday, the commission heard from the acting secretary of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Argiri Alisandratos, about the historic, contemporary and ongoing impacts of theSince 2016, the rate of First Peoples children in the state’s child protection system has increased 43 per cent, according to government data.
This week’s Yoorrook hearings follow witness testimony provided to the commission in March and December, when community members, leaders and experts within Aboriginal community-controlled services gave evidence. The government said in its submission the lack of progress was not the fault of people working for better outcomes within the criminal justice and child protection systems, but reflected the need to focus on an approach characterised by transformation through self-determination and treaty.