Cultural Rehabilitation Centre takes shape on Groote

Emerging from the bush is construction of the Groote Eylandt Alternative to Custody (ATC) facility or Cultural Rehabilitation Centre for 32 offenders.

Aboriginal Justice Unit (AJU) Director, Leanne Liddle said, “The ATC is an innovative, community-based approach to reduce Aboriginal incarceration and reoffending.

“The ATC will add more programs to support similar reductions in adult offending rates,” she said.

The Aboriginal Justice Unit staff and AGD Deputy CEO Leonique Swart visited Groote Eylandt recently to provide a progress report to key stakeholders, including representatives of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Drug and Alcohol Services Australia and the Groote Eylandt Community Justice Group.

The Groote Eylandt community is right behind the project with extensive community representation through the Community Justice Group comprising the 3 areas of the Groote Archipelago, Angurugu, Umbakumba and Milyakburra. Each community has its own reference group that feeds information into the Community Justice Group.

The building of the Centre will be staged. Stage one will be completed in October 2023 ready to accommodate 16 residents as well as a caretaker.

Help provided through justice related initiatives such as the Spotters and Peacemakers programs, as well as the Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island Enterprise gang, has resulted in significant reductions in youth related offending.

The bigger picture is the looming closure of the GEMCO mine on Groote Eylandt.

The Anindilyakwa Land Council has already identified the need to leverage current income and invest in the future of Groote Eylandt and its people.

There are several current projects underway which will help the community through the transition, including developing a mine on Winchelsea Island, building an Aboriginal College on Bickerton Island alongside a dual language curriculum project for children, and a new housing estate to attract critical health and education workers among others.

AJU Deputy Director, Warren Jackson said, “Progressive strategic thinking will result in extremely positive outcomes for people and their community.”

All these projects aim to sustain population in the area by offering employment, housing, health, and education benefiting individuals, family and community.