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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-02-03 Daily Xml
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CROSS BORDER FAMILY VIOLENCE PROGRAM

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (15:11): I seek leave to make a brief explanation—an amazingly brief explanation, following the Hon. Mr Lawson's information-rich explanation of his question—before asking the Minister for Correctional Services a question regarding the Cross Border Family Violence Program.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Mr President, I am just crossing out paragraphs 5 to 17. I understand that the Department for Correctional Services' Cross Border Family Violence Program was the recipient of an award in October 2008. Skip down a page. Will the minister now provide some details of the program and of the award it received?

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Gambling, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:12): I thank the honourable member for his very important question.

An honourable member: Succinct.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: Very succinct; yes. The Cross Border Family Violence Program focuses upon the indigenous communities within the 500,000 square kilometres of the Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara, Ngaanyatjarra speaking communities, known as the NPY lands. The lead agency is the South Australian Department for Correctional Services.

The program aims to reduce the incidence of physical and psychological harm in Aboriginal communities of Central Australia by developing and delivering culturally and linguistically appropriate programs to address issues of family violence, anger management and substance misuse. The program is targeted at perpetrators of family violence.

The Cross Border Family Violence Program is a 50-hour group work program. Referrals primarily come from the courts and the Parole Board, but voluntary referrals are encouraged and accepted. Last year I had the opportunity to visit Alice Springs and meet with the team that delivers this program. I would like to place on the record how impressed everybody was with the commitment of this particular team, and they were particularly encouraged by the fact that volunteers were also attending the program.

The program is delivered by dedicated program officers with assistance from local community cultural brokers. The participants learn that family violence is not acceptable and is a crime. They are taught to take responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and behaviour. As the program is available in the community in which they reside, they are then provided opportunities to practise strategies learned whilst supported by peer facilitators and their own community.

The first program commenced in Amata in April 2007, and 15 programs have now been completed in communities across the three jurisdictions of South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It is a credit to the government, the dedicated staff and the community corrections cross border cooperation that the Cross Border Family Violence Program has won the 2008 Probation and Community Corrections Officers' Association (PACCOA) award.

PACCOA recognises that thousands of people across the criminal justice system do an amazing job, and every day their dedication makes a dramatic difference in people's lives. The awards recognise exceptional achievement among staff and seek to ensure that outstanding performers share best practice ideas with their peers.

The Cross Borders Family Violence Program won the John Augustus Award in the organisational award category for 'outstanding achievement in caring for victims', 'outstanding contribution in working with offenders', 'outstanding contribution to engaging local communities', 'outstanding commitment to diversity', and 'partnership of the year: best example of joint working across the criminal justice system'. There was also a special individual award presented to Mr Lange Powell, former director of community corrections for the South Australian Department for Correctional Services, who was instrumental in establishing the program.

On behalf of the government I would like to take this opportunity to further recognise and congratulate the cross borders program staff for their commitment and dedication, and for all the good work they are doing in Central Australia.

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