The disproportionately high rate of indigenous incarceration
throughout Australia has been the subject of many discussions over
the years.
The concept of engaging indigenous offenders with
community-based programs with the participation of elders equipped
with cultural knowledge and experience resulted in the
establishment of "The Walama List" which commenced as a
pilot program in the NSW District Court in February 2022.
Although it has taken three decades since the Royal Commission
into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, the agreement by the state
government to facilitate this initiative within the existing
structure, by way of a Practice Note, is considered to be a ground
breaking event in the long road to achieving true
reconciliation.
