NIDJA NYOONGAR BOODJA
Nyoongar Tent Embassy
  • HOME
  • VISION STATEMENT
  • THE EMBASSY
    • THIS IS OUR COUNTRY
    • THE INAUGURATION OF THE NYOONGAR TENT EMBASSY
    • MATAGARUP HERITAGE
    • FANNY BALBUK YOOREEL
    • ABORIGINAL WOMEN RECLAIMING MATAGARUP BIRTHING SITE
    • ABORIGINAL WOMEN ADVANCING TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY
    • PRACTICING LORE & CULTURE AT MATAGARUP
    • MATAGARUP & RIVER 'DEVELOPMENT' PLANS
  • ACTIONS
    • RESISTANCE >
      • FEBRUARY 2012 PERTH CITY COUNCIL & POLICE RAIDS
      • MARCH 2012 PERTH CITY COUNCIL & POLICE RAIDS
      • COURT CASES
      • PROTEST OF THEFT OF WOMEN'S SACRED OBJECTS
      • NATIONAL SORRY DAY- DAY OF ACTION - PROTEST AT THE DCP
    • REBUTTALS
    • SPEAKING TOURS >
      • SOUTHWEST SPEAKING TOUR 2012
      • SOUTHWEST SPEAKING TOUR 2013
    • PROVIDING INFORMATION >
      • UTOPIA SCREENINGS JANUARY to MARCH 2014
      • GNANGARA PROPERTY
      • CULLABACARDEE
    • PETITIONS >
      • PETITION AGAINST THE NATIVE TITLE OFFER
      • YIRRKALA BARK PETITIONS
    • SOVEREIGNTY >
      • VISION STATEMENT
      • ABORIGINAL WOMEN ADVANCING TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY
      • SERVING REBUTTAL TO THE GOV. GEN & PREMIER
      • SOVEREIGN TRIBAL PEOPLES GATHERING JUNE 2012
      • PETITION AGAINST THE NATIVE TITLE OFFER
      • OTHER TRIBAL SOVEREIGN EMBASSIES
    • HUMAN RIGHTS >
      • CIRCULATING THE UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
      • AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA PERTH WORKSHOPS
      • HUMAN RIGHTS WORKSHOPS 2013
    • GATHERINGS >
      • SOVEREIGN TRIBAL PEOPLES GATHERING JUNE 2012
      • A DAY TO TASTE OUR TRIBAL SOVEREIGN FREEDOM
    • CEREMONIES >
      • SPIRIT OF THE WHALE SMOKING CEREMONY
      • OPENING OF PARLIAMENT 2013 - SMOKING CEREMONY
      • HARMONY DAY SMOKING CEREMONY 2013
    • RESEARCH >
      • RESEARCH PROJECTS BY CURTIN UNIVERSITY
    • ACTIONS >
      • WITNESSING POLICE ASSAULT
      • ACTION AGAINST THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH
      • REX BELLOTTI JNR CAMPAIGN
      • SUPREME COURT ACTION ON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
      • ACTION IN SUPPORT OF THE THORNE FAMILY
      • STAND UP FOR THE BURRUP
    • TREATIES
    • REPRESENTATION >
      • NAIDOC 2012
      • NAIDOC 2013
      • WORLD CONFERENCE ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES 2014
    • GET INVOLVED
  • EVENTS
    • UPCOMING EVENTS >
      • GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST FORCED REMOVALS NATIONAL EVENT: 24th - 30th MAY 2015
      • GET INVOLVED
      • SNAP ACTIONS
  • RESOURCES
    • NEWS
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEOS
    • SHOP
    • PUBLICATIONS
    • LINKS
    • REFERENCES
  • CONTACT

SUPREME COURT ACTION ON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS 
– BOYS HELD AT HAKEA ADULT PRISON

Picture
Following an incident that happened on the 20th of December 2012 roughly half of the boys being held at the Banksia Hill Detention Centre were transferred to Hakea Adult Prison. During the transfer they were mistreated, and the conditions at the prison were terrible.  The boys reported continued mistreatment by the prison guards, long periods of lockdown, minimal access to family through visits and phone calls, hardly any recreation or education, and no access to programs. In addition the food was insufficient and they had to deal with abuse and threats from the adult prisoners. 

In conjunction with Shine lawyers and SCALES community legal centre, and supported by family members of the boys, the Deaths in Custody Watch Committee (WA) and Youth Bail Service WA, the Nyoongar Tent Embassy took an action to the Supreme Court to try and address some of these conditions and get the boys transferred back to Banksia. This court case uncovered the systemic problems within the Department of Corrections including understaffing and the woeful lack of contingency planning regarding situations of emergency.

While the action was unsuccessful, as a result of the media coverage and the associated pressure, the conditions at Hakea immediately began to improve. Lockdown periods were reduced; the food improved and there was better access to education, recreation and programs. There was also assurance given that the boys would be transferred back to Banksia at the earliest opportunity; the Nyoongar Tent Embassy waits to see if the Department of Corrections lives up to this promise.

Amnesty International Australia officials were asked to visit Hakea Adult Prison as a Human Rights Watch Group to observe conditions first hand. The Department of Corrections refused access to the Amnesty group with Commissioner Johnson 
stating his staff  didn’t have time to act as “tour guides”. Amnesty International is involved in a major project investigating Aboriginal juvenile justice and the high rates of incarceration in Queensland and Western Australia.

Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.