Media Releases
04/11/2016
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) welcomes the announcement by the Attorney-General, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC and Community Services Minister, the Hon Christian Porter to establish a Commonwealth Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, led by the Australian government with an opt-in for state and territory governments and non-government institutions.
27/10/2016
As the peak body for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal services, NATSILS welcomes the announcement as Federal leadership is vitally important to drive a national, holistic and whole-of-government strategy to address imprisonment, violence, and the rates of children removed from their families.
14/10/2016
Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee (Senate Committee) handed down its long anticipated Report into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experience of law enforcement and justice services, and found that the current breadth and depth of unmet legal needs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is completely unsatisfactory.
28/09/2016
National Congress in collaboration with leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative organisations as signatories to the Redfern Statement 2016 met with the Indigenous Affairs Minister calling for the Government to urgently continue engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisations and peoples to ensure the First Peoples of this country have a say about their future and ... Read More
14/09/2016
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice leaders from across the country meet today on Arrernte country after receiving reports that this week children in Central Australia have been remanded in circumstances that would amount to breaches of the Youth Justice Act.
05/09/2016
As the Northern Territory’s Royal Commission holds its first public hearing, leading Indigenous and human rights organisations are calling on the Federal and Northern Territory Governments to immediately protect the human rights of young people currently in detention.The Human Rights Law Centre, Amnesty International and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services are urging both governments to be ... Read More
19/08/2016
Amnesty International as well as the ABC’s 7.30 Report and Lateline programs have uncovered significant reports of abuse in two youth correctional institutions in Queensland, following a Freedom of Information request where they obtained access to thousands of pages of documents.NATSILS has called for independent oversight as well as a commitment to the implementation of the recommendations from the Royal ... Read More
16/08/2016
On behalf of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) Co-chairs, Mr Wayne Muir and Ms Cheryl Axleby would like to express their sincere condolences to Ms Maher’s family, friends and community. Her death requires urgent investigation.
28/07/2016
Today the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) joined with over 100 organisations, including other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak representative bodies, in an open statement calling for the Government to broaden the recently announced Royal Commission into the abuse of children in detention in the Northern Territory.
26/07/2016
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services expresses shock at the horrifying images of mistreatment aired on the ABC Four Corners program at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre last night. NATSILS welcomes the swift action to call a Royal Commission into the treatment of children in detention.