The National Network of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls condemned the Queensland government's "ongoing failure" to address the escalating crisis of deaths in custody on Monday, a crisis revealed by the Australian Institute of Criminology's latest Deaths in Custody report.
"With 19 deaths in prison recorded in the 2023-24 financial year—the highest in over two decades—Queensland is reinforcing its reputation as a state more committed to punitive policies than to protecting lives," Network spokesperson Debbie Kilroy said.
Queensland also leads the nation in deaths in police custody, with eight fatalities this year, most involving shootings.
"These numbers expose a systemic disregard for human life, especially among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who remain disproportionately represented in these statistics," Ms Kilroy said.
"The report underscores a grim reality: five Aboriginal people were killed in Queensland prisons this year, the equal highest number alongside Western Australia. Half of these deaths were suicides, yet the state has failed to implement meaningful changes to address the inherent risks posed by its mass incarceration of First Nations people."
Network spokesperson Tabitha Lean said the organisation backed the Queensland's Human Rights Commissioner, Scott McDougall's urgent calls for action and genuine partnerships with First Nations communities.
"However, given Queensland's long history of ignoring the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, combined with its enabling of coroner's courts to act as quasi-alibi mechanisms, we fear this will allow the state and state agents to continue to avoid accountability for deaths in custody," Ms Lean said.
Ms Kilroy said the state is "not serious" about addressing the high number of fatalities in prison.
"The Queensland government's response continues to be characterised by hollow promises and superficial programs that fail to address systemic issues. Worse still, with the LNP's so-called 'tough-on-crime' agenda, we will only see prison numbers grow exponentially, and the risk of increased numbers of deaths in custody," Ms Kilroy said.
"Further, the repeal of the Path to Treaty Act by the LNP further highlights the government's lack of commitment to working collaboratively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Without mechanisms to genuinely engage with First Nations voices, the cycle of mass-incarceration and preventable deaths will persist."
Ms Lean said the state is at "tipping point".
"Despite repeated calls for transformation, the state continues to invest in incarceration while ignoring proven, community-led approaches to reducing harm and promoting safety for all," she said.
"If urgent action is not taken to address these systemic failures, the tragic loss of life will only increase, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people bearing the brunt of this inaction."
The National Network called on the Queensland government to: implement All Recommendations from the Royal Commission: Commit to genuine and comprehensive transformation based on recommendations that remain ignored; engage First Nations Communities: Establish formal mechanisms for meaningful partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in shaping justice policies; end Mass-Incarceration: Prioritise decarceration strategies and invest in community-led, culturally community services that address the root cause of harm and keep everyone safe; and address Systemic Racism in Legal Systems: Ensure accountability for deaths in custody by overhauling coroner's courts and ensuring independent oversight of police and correctional services.
