Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss, National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds, and Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay have expressed their sadness and disappointment following the death yesterday of a First Nations teenager who was incarcerated in Western Australia’s Banksia Hill youth detention centre.

The Queensland Government’s ‘Community Safety Act’ allowing more children to be locked up in the first instance is another step backwards for child justice and community safety, National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds said. 

“We all want to live in communities where kids can flourish and where everyone is safe, especially children. But this approach to offending by children doesn’t work,” Commissioner Hollonds said. 

In a major new report, Australia’s National Children’s Commissioner is calling for significant changes to how our federal, state and territory governments approach child justice and the wellbeing of children who are or who are at risk of being caught up in the criminal justice system.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and the National Children’s Commissioner today criticised the failure of leadership by the Commonwealth, states and territories to incorporate human rights standards into domestic law.