We are in a pivotal moment in history and there is potential to go beyond the empty gestures of the past. We call upon this Australian Government to abolish policies and procedures that acquiesce to the inhumane treatment of those in prison and closed environments. It is a fundamental issue of rights and freedoms. There must be a political will nationally and internationally to avoid what is senseless and preventable.

Governments must acknowledge the key role Aboriginal legal services play in empowering our people and communities to understand and protect their rights and ensure contact with the legal system is minimised at every opportunity.

Salary parity with legal aid is unambitious as what needs to be considered is the effort scale on each file at the ATSILS because when the ATSILS have the opportunity to operate at our best we offer a phenomenal service.

We will continue to work with Government to establish NATSILS and the ATSILS' prominence as key spokespeople in justice.

Long term investment is needed, however, our ATSILS are at the forefront of the immediate crisis absorbing numerous pressures. It is fundamental that the government consult with NATSILS to discuss justice investment.

The Aboriginal legal services across Australia have the solutions and when the money is not allocated in a meaningful way the ATSILS will inevitably alleviate that combustion and we do that in our devotion to the recommendations of the Royal Commissions into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

The Aboriginal legal services have been at the genesis of self-determination, they were the engine room for reform, and they are still the advocates and the protectors of the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

ATSILS have the solutions to drive down incarceration. The ATSILS are a significant and influential stakeholder in this country and there is great cost-benefit in the solutions driven by ATSILS.

Justice policy should be led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

It is the ATSILS who absorb the pressures when the government don't invest funding into services in a meaningful way and we have the solutions for our communities it only takes a conversation with the CEO's of the Aboriginal Legal Service to reveal their incomprehensible knowledge and expertise on solutions and cost-effective ones at that.

What is evident is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services deliver support in communities around the country every day and while we know what our communities need, there must be a commitment from government to deliver these outcomes, true partnership and accountability functions.

We have a right to culture. What needs to be in reverence is the principle that culture is a strengthening agent and that should underpin the delivery of services, policy and legislation that affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

Jamie McConnachie

Executive officer of National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services