Background

The Australian Government committed $81.5 million to justice reinvestment, which includes $12.5 million for the establishment of an independent justice reinvestment unit and $69 million for up to 30 community-led placed-based justice reinvestment initiatives across Australia.

Alice Springs was identified by the Australian Government for early investment and Traditional Owners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in Alice Springs, through an interim working group, have been collaborating closely to progress the establishment of an initial justice reinvestment initiative.

Become the backbone organisation supporting justice reinvestment in Alice Springs

The Australian Government is committed to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, including the Priority Reforms and achievement of the justice targets (Targets 10 and 11), to reduce First Nations incarceration rates and contact with the criminal justice system.

As part of this commitment, the Australian Government is providing $69 million for up to 30 community-led placed-based justice reinvestment initiatives across Australia, with Alice Springs identified for early investment. Justice Reinvestment will support communities to establish community-led initiatives that address the underlying reasons of contact with the criminal justice system, with specific activities to be determined by each community’s needs and context. Justice reinvestment is an ongoing practice and process of working together differently, requiring significant consultation and collaboration within communities and with all levels of government. Justice reinvestment supports communities to come together to agree on priorities, and how best to coordinate the work to drive change, how to build strong governance and capability to lead and drive this work.

The Traditional Owners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in Alice Springs, through an Interim Working Group, have been working together to progress the establishment of a justice reinvestment initiative.

This Expression of Interest process invites interested Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (who may wish to partner with non-Indigenous organisations in a partnership or a consortium arrangement) to establish a Backbone entity to coordinate and drive justice reinvestment in Alice Springs, Town Camps and surrounding communities. The attached selection criteria must be responded to in your Expression of Interest.

The role of the Backbone organisation is to act as a neutral body working on behalf of the whole community to facilitate effective discussions between stakeholders, to address the drivers to contact with the criminal justice system, and support positive change.  The Backbone will engage and collaborate with community and service providers in Alice Springs to identify strategic priorities and actions to address the agreed priorities and improve justice outcomes in Alice Springs, Town Camps and surrounding communities.

Justice reinvestment is a long-term measure. This role requires significant commitment to build understanding about justice reinvestment and work collaboratively in a way that brings together community, all levels of government and service providers to agree justice reinvestment priorities and initiatives based on data and evidence. The Backbone entity will also establish and support long-term governance arrangements. The selected Backbone entity will be able to seek funding to support its work, which may include community consultation, project management or data access and analytics.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to consider carefully the roles and responsibilities of the Backbone organisation before deciding to apply. Applications should include responses to all selection criteria questions.

Further information about the application process, selection criteria and timeframes can be found in the attached documentation.

Applications are now open until 9am (ACST) on Tuesday 16 May 2023.

More information

More information about justice reinvestment in Alice Springs will be provided soon.