SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children and Family Matters have developed our joint position paper on the establishment of a national commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
We want you to help Australia take notice.
Our call is endorsed by more than 105 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous NGOs, as well as children’s commissioners, working to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
The issues
Recent reports like The Family Matters Report 2020 and a report by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child reveal that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people around the country experience widespread and persistent discrimination and disadvantage, impacting on current and future generations.
They are 10 times more likely to be removed from their families, and of those living in out-of-home care, 81% are on permanent care orders, which carry much greater risks of permanently disconnecting children from their family and culture.
Too often Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are impacted by “buck passing” between the federal and state and territory governments, and between government departments and agencies.
The solutions
- We must urgently establish a national commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people to provide a dedicated focus on their rights.
- The commissioner must be independent from government and have powers to investigate and report publicly on issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
- A commissioner could play a role in supporting strategies for more effective collaboration and coordination both between and within governments.
- There is increasing recognition across Australia of the importance of having dedicated commissioners for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. Victoria established a dedicated commissioner in 2013 and South Australia in 2018. In Victoria, the work of the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People has led to major government reforms and an increased focus on improving outcomes for our children. In Queensland, a commissioner was appointed in 2020.
- A commissioner at the national level could advocate for the needs, rights and views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, ensuring that our children thrive into the future.
Options Paper
SNAICC, in conjunction with leading international law firm King & Wood Mallesons, has developed a comprehensive Options Paper on possible models for the establishment of a dedicated National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
November 2020
Read Options Paper summary
December 2020
Read Options Paper
Take action
We are asking for more organisations to endorse the position paper and our call for a national commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. Please complete the form below