screenshot of online conference presenters
Presenter - Donella Mills and Auslan Interpreter

First Nations Justice

Recording of a plenary session from Virtual Progress 2020.

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About the talk

To watch the talk First Nations Justice start video at the beginning.

This video contains 2 other presentations. The timings for each talk are:

  • First Nations Justice – 0.00 mins – 27.59 mins
  • When debt doesn’t matter: Spending to build an economy for the people – 28.00 mins – 51.46 mins

First Nations people are on the front line of both the health crisis and over-policing response to lockdown, because of systemic racism in the health and justice systems.

Donnella Mills, Chair of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, opened Virtual Progress 2020 sharing how First Nations organisations and communities have led the way in keeping people safe during the COVID-19 crisis.

Carly Stanley and Keenan Mundine, Co-Directors of Deadly Connections, an organisation working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, family and communities impacted by the criminal justice and child protection systems, spoke about the impacts of over-policing and incarceration of First Nations people.

About the speakers

Donnella Mills

DONNELLA MILLS
Chair, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)

Donnella Mills is a proud Torres Strait Islander woman with ancestral and family links to Masig and Nagir. She is a Director of Wuchopperen Health Service, Chair of the NACCHO and member of James Cook University Council. She is a Cairns-based lawyer with LawRight, a Community Legal Centre which coordinates the provision of pro-bono civil legal services to disadvantaged and vulnerable members of the community. Donnella is currently the project lawyer for the Wuchopperen Health Justice Partnership. This innovative HJP is an exciting model of care providing access to justice in a community controlled setting, where lawyers and health professionals collaborate to achieve improved health, social, emotional and spiritual well-being outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

 

Carly Stanley

CARLY STANLEY
Founder and CEO, Deadly Connections

Carly Stanley is a proud Wiradjuri Woman, born and raised on Gadigal land. Carly was raised in a large Aboriginal family who faced their own difficulties and challenges. Carly experienced trauma during her childhood which effected her throughout her young adult life. Carly’s earliest memories of the criminal justice system are of her Grandmother taking her to different correctional centres and police cells to visit family members. Carly’s personal experiences as a service user and early exposure to the justice system ignited her passion for dedicating her professional life to helping her people and others that are struggling. Carly has spent the last 20 years working in both government and non-government agencies across a range of areas whilst being an active member of her Aboriginal community which has provided Carly with a strong cultural/community connection, knowledge and skills.

 

Keenan Mundine

KEENAN MUNDINE
Co-Founder, Deadly Connections

Keenan is a proud First Nations man with connections to the Biripi Nation of NSW through his mother who is from Taree and ties to the Wakka Wakka Nation in Queensland through his Father who is from Cherbourg. Keenan was born and raised on Gadigal land. Keenan had a rough start to his childhood after losing both parents at a young age. Keenan difficulties in life, having made some poor decisions in his adolescence which resulted in his lengthy involvement with the justice system. Keenan found his passion in giving back to his community and working with people who have similar experiences to him. He has addressed the Human Rights Council on raising the age of criminal responsibility in Australia. He and his wife have created a unique, community-led solution and response to the current mass incarceration and child protection crisis of First Nations people. With the Keenan’s lived experience, his wife’s professional skills and academic qualifications, and as First Nations people they are committed to changing the narrative for their mob and communities.

About Virtual Progress 2020

Australian Progress held Virtual Progress 2020 on June 23-24. It was a rapid response online conference to respond to the intersecting crises of the pandemic, racial injustice, rising inequality and the climate crisis. The conference included 1,600 participants, 225 speakers from 13 countries, 5,000+ live chat messages and more than 60 sessions exploring everything from First Nations self-determination to racial justice, disability justice, health, economic fairness, the climate crisis and so much more.

See the Australian Progress collection on the Commons Library for materials from Virtual Progress 2020 and past events. To see what’s coming up in terms of training and events visit the Australian Progress site.