Thursday, 13 November 2025

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (12:29): Today I want to recognise the work of an extraordinary organisation that I know many members of this place are familiar with and strongly support: the Torch’s in-prison program. It is changing the lives of people with a history of incarceration. Led by the extraordinary Susannah Day and Kent Morris and chaired by Benson Saulo, the Torch provides Aboriginal people in custody with opportunities to engage with culture and connections through art.

Recently I had the pleasure of joining my fellow member for Northern Metropolitan Region Sheena Watt at the opening of Future Dreaming. Future Dreaming is the latest exhibition by the Torch, featuring 235 artworks by First Nations artists currently incarcerated in our state. Held at the Torch’s gallery in Carlton, this exhibition is a powerful example of how culture and creativity can become pathways to healing and rehabilitation. Each work on display is not only a representation of artistic talent, it is also a testament to the resilience, stories and aspirations of the artists behind them. Their brushes do not just paint images; they paint futures – futures of strength, culture and possibility. For many of these artists the Torch’s in-prison program is the first opportunity they have had to engage deeply with their culture and to find a sense of identity, purpose and pride. The results speak for themselves. Through cultural and arts-based rehabilitation the Torch is changing lives and reducing rates of reoffending. It is an approach grounded in respect, and it works. I encourage all members of Parliament to pop down to the Torch’s gallery on Elgin Street and visit Future Dreaming before it closes on 22 November. This exhibition is not just about art; it is about justice, dignity, culture and hope and the power of these influences to transform lives and communities for the better.