Aboriginal Justice Agreement

The Aboriginal Justice Agreement (the Agreement) has achieved bipartisan support with Country Liberal Party leader Lia Finocchiaro and shadow Attorney-General Steven Edgington co-signing the document at Parliament House on 31 March 2022.

Director, Leanne Liddle and supporting bodies, North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency and Northern Territory Council of Social Service were present to witness the historic moment of commitment from two political parties.

The bipartisan support provides certainty for the Agreement for the next seven years, enabling the Aboriginal Justice Unit to implement 13 commitments that will reduce the offending and imprisonment of Aboriginal Territorians.

“It’s very important for the people who are working on this agreement, it’s important for people who might want to fund projects in the agreement and for the community to have confidence,” said Ms Finocchiaro.

The Aboriginal Justice Unit is tasked with implementing the AJA and delivering this critical justice reform for the NT.

The alternatives to custody program in Alice Springs is one of the Agreement’s 13 commitments that address offending by providing offenders with life skills training and therapeutic sessions in on-country residential rehabilitation. The results have been positive — 9 out of 10 offenders who have completed the six-month program have not reoffended since their release.

The commitment from both political parties demonstrates a shared understanding for the need of the Agreement to improve justice outcomes for Aboriginal Territorians and a safer community for all Territorians.