Justice Policy Partnership Consolidated Jurisdictional Report

Introduction

At the Justice Policy Partnership (JPP) Meeting on 7 March 2023, JPP parties agreed that each jurisdiction will provide updated information about how they are tracking progress against Outcomes 10 and 11 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement).

Jurisdictions were asked to provide information against the following:

• jurisdiction initiatives that go towards achieving the Justice Targets under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap
• how the jurisdiction is tracking progress against the justice targets
• how the jurisdiction is tracking impact of legislative changes on justice targets
• relevant jurisdictional local governance arrangements (state or territory JPPs).

Information provided for the report from the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia is accurate as at 30 June 2024. Information provided for the report from the Commonwealth is accurate at 20 January 2025.

Responses from jurisdictions aligned with the goals and strategic initiatives set out in the Draft JPP Implementation Roadmap (to be published when endorsed by all jurisdictions) and the JPP Strategic Framework. This page provides a summary of key initiatives and approaches. For more detail, refer to the Jurisdictional report on tracking progress against the justice targets.

Initiatives that go towards achieving justice targets

The majority of actions in this part of the Consolidated Jurisdictional Report align with goals set out in the JPP Strategic Framework.

There are efforts to Transform justice systems (Goal 1) through yarning circles, community courts and building cultural capability frameworks.

Work on bail and remand, partnership committees and advisory groups, implementation of plans and strategies to support young people and adults demonstrates commitment by jurisdictions to improve Partnerships and accountability (Goal 2).

Jurisdictions continue to work towards improved Community-led change (Goal 3) through ongoing allocation and disbursement of funds to support legal assistance services and throughcare initiatives. 

Engagement of Elders in decision-making is supporting Holistic and inclusive approaches (Goal 4) in some jurisdictions. 

Involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members is also supporting the delivery of specialist domestic and family violence courts, drug and alcohol courts and various forms of assistance for people with disability.

Tracking progress against justice targets

South Australia and the Northern Territory reported they are working to establish an independent mechanism that will support, monitor, and report on the transformation of mainstream agencies and institutions as provided in Clause 67 of the National Agreement.

In ACT and Victoria, where there is a current or recently expired Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Justice Agreement, elements of those agreements are being used as a lever to track progress against the justice targets including establishment of monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

In jurisdictions that have not renewed a formal Aboriginal Justice Agreement, information provided in the consolidated report indicates that initiatives are being implemented without a formal agreement.

Tracking impact of legislative changes

Jurisdictions reported a number of approaches to track the impact of legislative changes on justice targets. Examples include impact assessments and monitoring and analysing incarceration rates before and after introducing new legislative reforms.

Local governance arrangements

Local governance arrangements include elected or appointed committees and boards that oversee implementation of jurisdictional Aboriginal Justice Agreements and Justice Policy Partnerships in all or most jurisdictions. 

Jurisdictions reported that involvement of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members is generally through membership of regional and local justice advisory or action committees.