The project

With supporting commitments under the Groote Archipelago Local Decision Making Agreement and the NT Aboriginal Justice Agreement, the ALC and the NT Government needed to engage Anindilyakwa people in a conversation about the establishment of a Community Justice Group on Groote.

The objective

To ensure local support for an Anindilyakwa Community Justice Group, and reach agreement on what the Group will do and how it will do its work.

The role we played

SVA Consulting was asked to lead community consultations to support the establishment of the Community Justice Group:

• We conducted seven community meetings over five months in the communities of Angurugu, Umbakumba and Milyakburra with support from several community members and local organisations.  The meetings were attended by more than 80 warnimamlaya (Aboriginal people from the Groote Archipelago), with many prospective Group members attending multiple meetings.
• We provided regular updates on the progress of the Group’s thinking through various local forums.
• We documented what we heard from community members attending consultation through a briefing paper to the ALC Board and NT Government, describing the Group’s proposed purpose, composition, intended outcomes and support needs to inform funding for the Group.​

Project impact

The Community Justice Group is currently auspiced by the ALC and works across different sections of the justice system, from conflict prevention and early intervention, to supporting warnumamalya in the court system and post sentencing. Members of the Community Justice Group have recently participated in the NT’s first Community Court sitting since 2012, providing suggestions to the Court on offenders’ circumstances and rehabilitation options.  ​