Submission from NATSILS to the Federal Government for Australia’s Fifth Report under the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Posted on Mon 14 November 2011The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services Forum (NATSILS) is the peak national body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice issues in Australia.The NATSILS have almost 40 years’ experience in the provision of legal advice, assistance, representation, community legal education, advocacy, law reform activities and prisoner through-care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in contact with the justice system. The NATSILS are the experts on justice issues affecting and concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The NATSILS represent the following Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services: – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (Qld) Ltd (ATSILS Qld); – Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement Inc. (ALRM); – Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) (ALS NSW/ACT); – Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (Inc.) (ALSWA); – Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service (CAALAS); – North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA); – Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service Co-operative Limited (VALS);
The NATSILS make this submission to the Australian Government to assist in the development of its Fifth Periodic Report (the Report) to the Committee Against Torture (the Committee). Our submission is intended to provide the Government with information gathered from the on-the-ground experiences of the various Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) so that it can accurately report to the Committee what progress has been made and areas requiring further work. It must be pointed out that our submission has been compiled and structured in response to the list provided by the Committee relating to specific issues that it would like the Government to respond to in its report. The NATSILS seek commitment from the Government in its Report to work with State and Territory governments to review the justice system and places of detention with regard to its obligations under the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Convention) as well as its other international human rights obligations. The NATSILS urge the Government to further demonstrate its commitment to improving the justice system by ratifying and implementing the Optional Protocol Against Torture by 2012.
