Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage

In October 2024, The Salvation Army provided a submission to the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) inquiry Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Safety Plan (the Family Safety Plan) Engagement.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Safety Plan (Family Safety Plan) will guide a whole of society approach to addressing the unacceptable rates of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. It is intended to increase the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children by setting the future direction of all government action in the family, domestic and sexual violence service system under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap 2020-2030, Target 13. 

We have approached this submission from the perspective of our family and domestic violence, youth, alcohol and other drug, homelessness, and Doorways Emergency Relief services, and in consultation with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stream. The submission highlights the systemic gaps we are seeing that impact the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victim-survivors and persons using violence that we serve.

At the heart of our recommendations, is the critical need for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities to lead, drive, and have ownership over interventions and solutions for the community.

In this submission, The Salvation Army covers:

• Overarching principles. We highlight that self-determination and community-driven solutions, community consultation, listening to the voices of children, and embedding cultural strengths and healing are integral to the Family Safety Plan.
• Key systemic and institutional reforms. We discuss the importance of partnerships and collaboration with the wider service sector, building cultural competency, ensuring the system is equipped to meet the needs of victim-survivors, and the need to support culturally driven and safe data collection and outcomes management.
• Supporting children and young people. We highlight the need to ensure children and young people have access to specialised services, the need to address adolescent violence in the home, and to prevent over-reporting to child protection agencies.
• Ensuring services understand their roles and responsibilities under the Family Safety Plan.
• Learn more about the Inquiry
• Read The Salvation Army Submission