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A community leader in Western Australia's remote Pilbara says elders and other members of the community are paying the price for the region's youth crime issues.
Key points:
- Martu leaders hope justice reinvestment programs will reduce crime in the east Pilbara
- Nurses were recently evacuated from Jigalong after their home was broken into
- Newman has been earmarked for federal government funding for a national justice reinvestment program
Nurses were temporarily evacuated from Jigalong, 160 kilometres east of Newman, last week and again this week amid concern for their welfare after their home was broken into.
Martu man Devon Cuimara said it meant elders suffered because of the actions of a "few kids".
"There are old people out in Jigalong that need medication, and it was harder to access for a few days," he said.
"For a few people doing the wrong thing, the whole community paid the price.
"It was unfair."
The Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service (PAMS), which employs the nurses, has declined to comment but last week told the ABC a break-in had caused nurses "a lot of anxiety".
The youth crime issues facing Jigalong were discussed at a meeting of Martu leaders in Newman yesterday, with the community representatives hoping a justice reinvestment approach might help the community turn the corner.
Newman has been named among 15 communities due to receive funding to develop their own justice reinvestment strategies.
The communities will then be able to apply for a share of a $81.5 million funding package to implement their plans.
Mr Cuimara, also the founder of Aboriginal Men's Healing Service in Newman, spearheads the push for justice reinvestment funding in the town.
"The old people can't control everything in the community," he said.
"There is an expectation that if there is a crime out in the community then it is up to the people to fix it.
He said locally designed programs would help the community take ownership of the issues.
"Mainstream society has [dealt with our issues] for generations and failed miserably," Mr Cuimara said.
"Justice reinvestments means doing it another way."
The justice reinvestment model was first championed by Bourke in New South Wales and became a case study for how investment into community-led, place-based programs could transform a town.
University of Technology, Sydney professor Chris Cuneen is a criminologist and advisor to the justice reinvestment program.
"[Bourke] has seen quite dramatic results in terms of reducing youth offending, reducing the incidence of domestic and family violence, and increasing year 12 school retention rates," Professor Cuneen said.
Martu communities in WA's Pilbara are hopeful they may see the same results.
Martu senior lore man Colin Peterson, who is responsible for upholding community culture and traditional law, welcomed the program as a chance for Martu people, and all Aboriginal people, to use their voice.
"Whatever Aboriginal language [group], we got to join up together and talk for ourselves," Mr Peterson said.
"It's our right. Our Aboriginal right on this land. We got to talk for our rights now.
"It's a new year, and that's what we're doing now."