Today we supported new legislation to ensure apprehended domestic violence orders are recognised across state lines. 

In New South Wales the use of sniffer dogs by police on public transport, at festivals and in bars is not about effective drug control. It is about police intimidation and harassment. Today we introduced legislation into Parliament to abolish this harmful program. 

Today the Greens supported legislation to remove the statute of limitations for civil claims for the victims of child sexual abuse. 

Member for Newtown Jenny Leong will use the first day of NSW Parliament in 2016 to re-introduce a Greens’ Bill to end the use of drug detection dogs without a warrant on public transport, at festivals and in bars.

Today NSW Greens Aboriginal Justice and Police Spokesperson, David Shoebridge MP, and Member for Newtown and NSW Greens Human Rights spokesperson, Jenny Leong MP, expressed serious concern at actions taken by the police in an attempt to shut down a peaceful protest marking the tragic death of Aboriginal boy TJ Hickey in Redfern.

The matter is in the NSW Supreme Court this morning at 10am.

Media Release

As Aboriginal and social justice campaigners gather in Sydney's CBD today, very positive news has been delivered that the Aboriginal Custody Notification Service will be funded until June 2019. The funding grant was due to expire at the end of this year but the Federal Government has committed to completely fund the service.   

The Custody Notification Service was a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and since its implementation there has not been a single Aboriginal death in a police cell or paddy wagon in NSW.

This is an important win for the Indigenous Social Justice Association, Aboriginal Legal Service and other social justice campaigners who have been demanding that this important service is retained.

Today the Government introduced unnecessary changes to bail laws making the application of bail less transparent and less consistent, and extending extraordinary police powers. Read our speech opposing these changes below. 

Media release
24 August 2015

Local Member for Newtown, Jenny Leong MP, and Greens NSW spokesperson for Aboriginal Justice, David Shoebridge, are calling on all levels of government to step up and ensure Aboriginal housing is funded on The Block.

This follows the decision of the NSW Supreme Court which ruled against the Redfern Aboriginal Tent Embassy, finding the Embassy was “trespassing” on Aboriginal land at The Block.

Greens NSW MP and Spokesperson for Aboriginal Justice David Shoebridge said:

“Jenny Munro, a proud Aboriginal Waradjuri elder  and the Tent Embassy have been engaging in good faith negotiations with the Federal Minister and the Aboriginal Housing Corporation (AHC), and believed they had reached a final agreement last week on Aboriginal housing in The Block.

  “Ms Munro made it clear to the Court that she does not accept that the Aboriginal people ever ceded sovereignty of this land to the English crown. In response the Court held:

The Defendant’s aboriginality, and her contention that the Aboriginal people have never ceded sovereignty to the English Crown does not help her. 

“The fact that the law can so readily dismiss our first people’s prior occupation and custodianship of this land is proof positive of a fundamental flaw in our legal system.

“When it comes to symbolic Aboriginal land like The Block, Aboriginality and more than 40,000 years of Aboriginal custody and possession, should never be dismissed so lightly by our Courts.

“This is far from the end of the struggle for Aboriginal housing on The Block, which is supported by a cross section of the Redfern community,” Mr Shoebridge said.

Greens MP for Newtown Jenny Leong said:

“This community – and the significance of maintaining Aboriginal housing and community on Gadigal country in Redfern is too important to be ignored.”

“Our neighbourhood is awash with plans to develop and invest in infrastructure projects – with billions for Urban Growth’s development of the Central to Eveleigh site and constant construction by the University of Sydney. And yet there is no money for Aboriginal housing.

“Successive governments have been a part of creating this mess – it’s time for them to step up and help resolve it.

 “While it may seem that there is currently an unresolvable conflict – in reality all parties agree that we need to see the funding secured to build Aboriginal housing,” Ms Leong said.

Background

The Redfern Aboriginal Tent Embassy were established on ‘The Block’ on National Sorry Day last year, May 26, after the Aboriginal Housing Company put forward a planning proposal for a $70 million commercial development on the site.

The Block in Redfern was one of the first parts of urban Australia to be formally returned to Aboriginal people.

Drug Detection Dog Repeal Bill launch feat. internationally renowned musicians

Today Greens member for Newtown Jenny Leong will give notice of a bill to end the use of drug detection dogs without a warrant on public transport, at festivals, bars and Kings Cross.

The Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Amendment (Sniffer Dogs—Repeal of Powers) Bill 2015 aims to repeal parts of the Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act 2002 relating to the use of drug detection dogs.  The Bill is the latest part of the Greens NSW “Sniff Off” campaign against the use of drug dogs. 

The campaign is supported by musicians and performers including Paul Mac and Dan McNamee (from Art vs Science) who aim to protect their audiences from over-policing.

A Sniff Off Party will be held on Saturday 30 May at the Red Rattler in Marrickville, featuring Paul Mac and other artists.

Today we called on the Liberal Government to end their law and order display, listen to the evidence, and deliver justice to victims of historical child sexual abuse.