Speech by Chairperson Bev Manton
Launch of Aboriginal Strategic Direction, Port Stephens

10 November 2008

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Distinguished guest, Ladies and gentlemen and Members of the Port Stephens police force.

The lack of local policing and maintenance of law and order has been one of the biggest issues facing the residents of Port Stephens for many years.

After a long wait, all residents were grateful to hear the announced on the establishment of the Port Stephens Local Area Command.

The announcement came as a relief to the many community groups and interested parties that had been campaigning for a Local Area Command for such a long time.

They deserve our heartfelt congratulations for their tireless work in lobbying for the Local Area Command.

On behalf of the people of Port Stephens, I would like to acknowledge Assistant Commissioner Lee Shearer's significant contribution on using her role in influencing New South Wales Police policy to effect positive change.

She showed real leadership on this issue and cut through the petty politics and opened the way for an agreement to be reached on our Local Command.

I am incredibly grateful.

I also take this opportunity to welcome Superintendent Charles Haggart, who will lead the command, and his 107 officers.

Policing comes with many challenges.

It can be diverse, exciting, unpredictable and satisfying.

In order to build and maintain a safer community, members of the Port Stephens police force will provide a 24-hour-a-day service, seven days a week preserving the peace, protecting life and property, preventing crime, detecting and apprehending offenders, and helping those in need of assistance.

At all times, our police officers, provide a sense of security and order in the community and must be prepared for the unexpected.

I know that the community wants their police to make them safe but does not always know the cost.

I don't presume to understand all the challenges facing the members of the Police Force

But sometimes even the police need a hand because all of us in the community receive the benefits of our police.

Today it is time to start to help our local Police Force.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure today to participate in the launch of your Aboriginal Strategic Direction plan.

As Chairperson of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, I welcome the fact, that this plan - a blueprint for change, includes a stronger focus on Aboriginal family violence, child sex abuse and substance abuse issues.

The development of Aboriginal Action Plans, which gives our people a say in the policing of their own communities, is also an important initiative.

This policy also rightly identifies the reduction of offending and over-representation of Aboriginal people, in the criminal justice system as a key objective.

The plan offers a coordinated and comprehensive response to Aboriginal issues and holds police officers accountable at all levels.

The setting out of timeframes and performance targets and indicators on key objectives, also offers hope of real progress being made.

But the important aspect of these plans is to remember that this is a living and breathing document that will continue to evolve.

However, while I believe our Local Area Command is taking the correct approach through their Direction plan, I cannot ignore the fact that the rate of imprisonment for Aboriginal people, has continued to rise in recent years.

An Aboriginal adult is 11 times more likely to be jailed than any other Australian adult, while the youth rate is 20 times more likely to be imprisoned than any other Australian youth.

Disturbingly, the imprisonment rate of Aboriginal women has increased 25 per cent between 2000 and 2004.

Many reports have directly linked these rates, to overall Aboriginal disadvantage, such as poor education, bad housing, unemployment, financial stress, welfare dependency, substance abuse and removal from families.

Generally, I think this is true. 

But what is even more true is that it is never going to be reduced until as the current Federal Government has said there is a genuine effort to close the gap between life's expectations of Aboriginal Australians compared to the rest of the community. 

There is no doubt that every step a police force takes to better communicate and understand its Aboriginal residents will pay dividends.

That is why I have been impressed with the efforts of some senior police and frontline officers to implement practical initiatives with positive outcomes for Aboriginal communities.

The Former Commissioner Ken Mulroney, Deputy Commissioner Andrew Scipione (Skippy - oni), Assistant Commissioner, Catherine Burnn and our own Sergeant Jeff Farmer continue to make real inroads in this area.

It is pleasing to see in many communities, real leadership and very genuine efforts to work constructively with local police.

Aboriginal people and police officers live in the same community.

It therefore comes as no surprise that officers who make a genuine effort to participate in and find out about the community become trusted by Aboriginal people

Aboriginal communities, like every other community, want to tackle serious crime head-on.

Aboriginal families do not want their children locked up. Aboriginal women do not want to be victims of domestic violence.

While policing is only part of the response to criminal conduct, most Aboriginal people do not want police to be hands-off.

Good police-Aboriginal relations, appropriate use of diversionary options for young Aboriginal people, and targeting families where there is significant domestic violence are essential if there is any chance of improving community safety and reducing crime.

As a member of the Worimi nation, as a founding member of the Karuah Local Aboriginal Land Council, as the Chairperson of NSWALC, as a resident of Karuah and as a mother, I say to you all - let's put our differences away and try to work for real and meaningful changes.

Until there is a genuine effort by all parties, there is a limit to what can be achieved by police in Aboriginal communities.

I hope and pray that some day in the future- parents will be able to say that - my child has never seen the inside of a courtroom.

This can be achieved if policing involves both a commitment from and involvement by the community.

The police and the community can enhance local police accountability, create partnerships aimed at bring local solutions to local problems and raise awareness of the complexities of crime prevention and crime reduction.

But, perhaps most importantly of all, this initiative can improve safety for our citizens and reduce the fear many have about crime in our community.

To conclude on a positive note, I believe the power of individuals to make positive changes should not be underestimated.

I do not believe you can underestimate the importance and value of having Aboriginal people working within the Police Force.

Their presence is not symbolic.

It is encouraging.

It is the best possible way to break down barriers between black and white Australians.

Having more Indigenous people in our police force will help create role models and community leaders who can promote the importance of law and order.

My people are extremely proud of the role that Dana Kendsall, Gary Patten, Mick and Justin Ridgeway are playing in ensure the streets of Port Stephens are safe.

Having a police force engaged with the community, crystal clear about its mission, maintaining communication, both inside and outside the organisation is a very good starting point.

But, for me, the personal commitment of the men and women who will work in and from this building is far more tangible and far more important.

We know the police commitment to us, - and you have our commitment to you.

I thank you all for giving me the opportunity of talking with you and to be able to give my community's commitment to the Port Stephens Local Area Command.

Working together we will make a difference.

Finally, I would like to extend an open invitation to any member of the Port Stephens Local Area Command to come and visit the Karuah Local Aboriginal Land Council.

This is my Land Council and we want to develop real and meaningful links with members of our police force.

Working together we will make a difference.

Thank you