14 AUGUST 2024
The Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) is deeply disappointed by the Victorian Government’s decision to walk back a commitment to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years old by 2027.
Under the current system, children as young as 10 can be arrested, charged and jailed. A previous commitment to raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years old was yesterday walked back by state Premier Jacinta Allan, leaving the safety and wellbeing of Victorian Aboriginal children at risk.
“Raising the age is a child welfare issue,” said VACCA CEO Muriel Bamblett. “The Victorian government cannot walk away from our children and ignore their safety and wellbeing because of manufactured panic about youth crime.”
Aboriginal children are disproportionately impacted by the current minimum age of criminal responsibility in Victoria.
“The overrepresentation of Aboriginal children and young people in the youth justice system reflects a racist, punitive system that criminalises children rather than addressing the root causes of their trauma and behaviour,” said Ms Bamblett.
The overrepresentation of Aboriginal children across the child protection system is the result of systemic injustices experienced by Aboriginal families. Continuing to ignore the main drivers of child removal – family violence, homelessness, and systemic racism – will mean that unacceptably high rates of Aboriginal children continue to enter out of home care.
“The system fails to recognise many Aboriginal children and young people as victims of crime, neglect and abuse themselves,” said Ms Bamblett. “Preventing children from entering out of home care requires investment in Aboriginal-led, culturally appropriate early intervention and prevention programs that is proportionate to the number of Aboriginal children coming into contact with the child protection system.”
In addition to immediately raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years old, VACCA has long advocated for a greater focus on therapeutic and culturally appropriate early intervention for Aboriginal children.
“ACCOs are best placed to deliver culturally safe, trauma informed prevention, early intervention and diversionary programs that respond to risk factors driving contact with the child protection and justice systems,” said Ms Bamblett. “VACCA calls on the Victorian government to stand by their earlier commitment to raising the age, and to adequately fund the delivery of programs which work to reduce the rates of overrepresentation of Aboriginal children and young people in the child protection and justice systems.”
- ENDS -
FOR RELEASE –
Beth Cesarin - Senior Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
PH: 0439 117 408 E: bethc@vacca.org
Sarah Gafforini – Director, Office of the CEO VACCA
T: 0427 621 421 E: sarahg@vacca.org
ABOUT VACCA - www.vacca.org
The Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) is Victoria’s Peak Voice for Aboriginal children. We are the leading provider of Aboriginal child and family services, and the largest provider of services for Aboriginal family violence and homelessness. We have been supporting children, young people, and families in the community for over 47 years as an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO).
Through our vision of self-determination – Live, Experience, and Be – we exist to support culturally strong, safe, and thriving Aboriginal communities. We deliver over 80 programs across Victoria including child and family services, family violence, support for stolen generations, child protection, cultural strengthening programs, mental health, financial services, justice and redress support, early years, and homelessness services.
We acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which we work. We pay our respects to their elders, past and present, and to their children and young people who are the future elders and caretakers of this great land.