Funding boost for Community Justice Groups

The Queensland Government’s funding boost for the State’s Community Justice Groups (CJGs) will include $245,000 for social justice initiatives, Attorney-General Kerry Shine said.

Mr Shine said in February this year, the Government announced an additional $4 million over four years would be committed to CJGs.

“As part of this funding commitment, the Government announced an additional $185,000 had been allocated for this financial year for social justice initiatives,” Mr Shine said.

“Following a call for applications, the Department of Justice and Attorney-General has agreed to fund initiatives to a total of $245,000 - $60,000 more than was originally committed.”

These initiatives include funding for:
·night patrols for the groups at Innisfail, Cloncurry, Napranum and Kowanyama;
·extension of the Murri Watch program at St George; Justice of the Peace training at Coen;
·a youth engagement program at Logan;
·operations of the group at Aurukun; and
·community justice education at Wujal Wujal.

CJGs play an important role in the implementation of a range of initiatives targeting the over-representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system.

CJGs were established in 1993 in response to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. There are currently 40 statutory and non-statutory groups located throughout Queensland.

24 April 2007
Media contact: Kirby Anderson 3239 6400 or 0418 197 350 kirby.anderson@ministerial.qld.gov.au