Thursday, 12 May 2022

Ministers statements: South Sudanese community

Ms HUTCHINS (Sydenham—Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (14:32): I rise to update the house on this government’s support for young South Sudanese Victorians and their families. Our ten-year vision for reform in the youth justice system has a focus on supporting culturally diverse groups. Sadly, young South Sudanese people are one of those groups that are so overrepresented in our justice system. That is why we are establishing the South Sudanese Australian youth justice expert working group. The expert working group will be modelled on the Koori Youth Justice Taskforce, which has helped drive down numbers of Koori young people in our justice system. Backed by $5 million, the group will work with experts and community leaders on the best way forward to help young people keep their lives on track.

We know through experiences we have had with other communities that working with these communities on a culturally connected and well-led program will give us the results. These young people deserve more assistance and culturally appropriate support—assistance like housing, jobs and most critically education; they do not deserve to be publicly attacked. I saw this firsthand just last week when I visited the Step into Training and Employment program run by the Brotherhood of St Laurence and Jesuit Social Services, who received $300 000 in crime prevention funding. This program focused on supporting young people from social housing in Flemington and North Richmond, helping them to get a job. The program led young people to accessing training, undertaking new career paths and getting the connections they need for a brighter future. I was also pleased to announce, with the assistance of the Minister for Housing, that we are now extending that program into North Melbourne to help these young people thrive and stay away from the justice system. Can I encourage all South Sudanese community leaders and organisations to take part in this process, and I look forward to working with them to give young people the best opportunities that we can.