Queensland Premier Campbell Newman to discuss strategies to reduce Indigenous deaths in custody

Brisbane archdiocese's Murri Ministry and the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) will invite Queensland Premier, Campbell Newman, to meet to discuss issues surrounding Indigenous incarceration.

Ministries coordinator Ravina Waldren said the proposed meeting with Mr Newman aimed to discuss recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, which delivered its final report to the Federal Government 21 years ago this month. Ms Waldren said discussions had been held with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ecumenical Commission (NATSIEC) on ways to increase church involvement on this issue.

Ms Waldren and CJPC executive officer Peter Arndt also recently spoke at a meeting on rising Indigenous imprisonment rates and ongoing deaths in custody. Mr Arndt said these deaths were clearly a major concern within the Aboriginal community, and that Mr Newman would be contacted soon to see if a meeting to consider ways to meet the challenge of decreasing these numbers.

Source: Catholic Leader

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