Type:	Conference Paper
Title:	Report of the family violence prevention legal services conference Cairns Queensland, 29, 30 and 31 October 2006
Authors:	Australian Attorney-General's Department
Keywords:	Indigenous issues;Regional rural and remote areas
Year:	2006
Publisher:	Australian Govt. Pub. Service
Notes:	General Overview: The Attorney-General's Department funds 26 Family Violence Prevention Legal Services (FVPLS) around Australia, predominantly in remote and rural areas of high need. This report summarises papers presented at the annual conference of the FVPLS program held in Cairns, Australia in 2006. The aim of the conference was to facilitate robust discussion regarding the future direction of the FVPLS program and associated training. Discussion: Tom Calma, ATSI Social Justice Commission and Acting Race Discrimination Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (HREOC), outlined HREOCs functions, particularly relating to child abuse and family violence. He spoke about the ten key challenges in addressing family violence and called for a partnership to protect Indigenous rights and Indigenous children. Margaret Beattie presented a paper outlining the Australia Government's response to domestic violence, including the National Strategy on Violence Against Women, the Partnerships against Domestic Violence Initiative, and the Women's Safety Agenda. She claimed that Canberra had an unprecedented commitment to tackling family violence and child abuse in Indigenous families and that there are considerable resources available, such as the increased funding to expand the number of FVPLS to 31. Debbie Kilroy of Sisters Inside spoke about the 2000 women, including 500 Indigenous women, who are imprisoned every night in Australia. They endure humiliating strip searches, are isolated, restrained, and medicated. Most have already experienced physical or sexual abuse, poverty, poor education, low self-esteem and addiction to drugs or alcohol. Sisters Inside provides counselling in prison, pre- and post-release support and advocacy. * Margaret Beattie and Debbie Richards facilitated a discussion in which five key training needs were identified: working with children, front-line management, governance, finance/submission/recording, and sexual assault. * Josephine Akee described her work as an Indigenous Family Liaison Officer at the Cairns Registry of the Family Court, and at the Family Relationship Centre in Cairns. * Kimiko Gabey, Brian Healey and Jennifer Salam described their work at the Cape York Family Violence Prevention Legal Unit, based in Cairns and servicing eight Aboriginal communities in Cape York. * Christine Gray and Jodie Bell spoke about their work at the Marninwarntikura Family Violence Prevention Unit in Western Australia, focussing on the Marninwarntikura Women's Bush Meeting. * Susie Holroyd and Kurt noble described the Pormpuraaw Healing Centre, which delivers a Family Wellbeing Program, counselling service and referrals. Finally, conference participants worked in small groups to identify issues and suggest solutions for the Department's consideration.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/21147
Physical description:	56 p.
Appears in Collections:	Conference Papers

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