Better future for First Nations children envisaged with dedicated commission to be running in new year

An independent National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People will be officially operational from January next year.

The Federal Government has announced the commission has been established as an executive agency under the Public Service Act 1999.

Applications for the role of the national commissioner will open this month.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said once appointed, the commissioner would be dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights, interests and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people across a range of issues.

This would include the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in out-of-home care.

“The commission and commissioner will be an important part of the Commonwealth’s strategy to Closing the Gap on outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people,” Senator McCarthy said.

“The overrepresentation of young people in out-of-home care and youth detention is unacceptable.

“The national commissioner will focus on working with First Nations people and organisations on evidence-based programs and policies to turn those figures around.

“The national commissioner will be informed by the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, whose voices deserve to be heard. Their strengths, sense of hope and new ideas will drive systemic change.”

The commissioner will be a First Nations person and will be tasked with championing First Nations children’s strengths, to offer a sense of hope and ideas for change.

They will work directly with First Nations children and young people and listen to and amplify their voices, needs and aspirations, along with the broader community.

The commissioner will also work with groups such as the Safe and Supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group, other First Nations leaders, state and territory children’s commissioners, guardians and advocates, as well as the National Children’s Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.

Policy advice will then be provided from the commissioner to governments to help implement key policy frameworks and coordination.

Indigenous children are almost 11 times more likely to be in out-of-home care than non-Indigenous children and 29 times more likely to be in youth detention.

It was a point raised by National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds when addressing the National Press Club and releasing her report ‘Help way earlier!’ How Australia can transform child justice to improve safety and wellbeing.

“Tragically, by not addressing their human rights early on, and instead taking a punitive approach to their offending, we are essentially criminalising some of the most vulnerable children in Australia,” Commissioner Hollonds said.

Chair of the Safe and Supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group, Catherine Liddle (who is also the CEO of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care – or SNAICC), said her organisation had been working with the government to frame the roles and responsibilities of the new commission.

“It has taken time to get to this point, but we have to get this role right. Our children deserve it,” Ms Liddle said.

“Through shared decision-making processes, we have been able to establish strong functions that reflect the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sector’s long-held ambition to have a national commissioner with real authority.

“This position will be a game-changer in tackling the overrepresentation of our young people in out-of-home care and youth detention.”

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth emphasised that the new commission and commissioner would highlight how systemic change should be inspired and led by First Nations people.

“This is a historic milestone, and one which demonstrates our commitment to shared decision-making through the establishment of a legislated, independent and empowered national commissioner,” Ms Rishworth said.