MEDIA RELEASE 25.01.22: Western Australia trailing in keeping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children safe in their homes and out of the criminal justice system according to the 2022 Report on Government Services
Aboriginal Family Legal Service WA (AFLS), a key service provider for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims of family violence and sexual assault in the Pilbara, Kimberley, Mid-West Gascoyne, and Goldfield’s regions, has expressed concern over findings in the 2022 Report on Government Services, released today by the Australian Government Productivity Commission.
The Report on Government Services, which provides a public report card on the performance of Australian governments in the delivery of education, justice, health, community services, emergency management and housing and homelessness services, revealed that:
- Western Australia had the second highest proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care at 30 June 2021, with 57.5% second only to the Northern Territory, and 12% higher than the third highest Queensland at 45.5%.
- Western Australia had the highest ratio of disproportionality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0-17 years for child protection notifications.
- Only 38.9% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care in Western Australia in 2021 were placed with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander relative/kin, and 32% were placed with non-Indigenous carers who were not relatives/kin.
- Western Australia had the second highest proportion of average daily number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 10-17 years in youth detention in 2020-21, with 76% second only to the North Territory, and 12% higher than the third highest Queensland at 64%.
- Western Australia had the highest rate of Aboriginal young people aged 10-17 years in detention per 10 000 young people aged 10-17 years in 2020-21, with 40.9%, and well ahead of the national average of 23.3%.
- Western Australia had the second highest rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people spending nights in custody in 2020-21, with 76.04% second only to the Northern Territory at 95.8%.
AFLS Chief Executive Officer Corina Martin said that the findings were concerning for Aboriginal families, children, and young people in Western Australia, particularly in light of recent allegations about racism within the Western Australian State Government.
“Aboriginal children and young people are among the most severely disadvantaged in our state” Ms. Martin said. “The findings of this Report indicate that our State Government is trailing behind other governments in preventing Aboriginal children and young people from entering the child protection and youth justice systems and speak to the demand for more targeted intervention opportunities for Aboriginal families, children and young people to keep kids out of care and away from juvenile detention.”
Ms. Martin urged the WA Government to partner with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to address the findings in the Report:
“Aboriginal people know what works for Aboriginal people. If the Government of Western Australia is truly committed to improving outcomes for its Aboriginal children and young people, we must see opportunities for Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal organisations to lead intervention programs that will keep our kids safe. Until then, we can only expect to see higher rates of disproportionality for our children and young people across the youth justice, child protection, health, education and other sectors.”
Media Contact – Laney Gould, 9355 1502
