Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) is marking NAIDOC Week with celebrations at its centres and regional offices across the state.
Commissioner Peter Martin APM said the celebrations gave QCS the opportunity to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and help prisoners remain connected to community and country.
“In particular, the Cultural Liaison Officers in the QCS bring cultural relevance and understanding into their roles to further help preserve culture in their communities.’ Commissioner Martin said.
“We know from international research that offenders who maintain strong connections to their community and country are less likely to reoffend upon release.
“QCS is committed to keeping communities secure by working effectively and culturally appropriately with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners, safely and humanely containing prisoners and supervising and reintegrating offenders into the community to reduce the chance of re-offending,”
QCS contributions to 2019 NAIDOC celebrations include representatives from the Ipswich Probation and Parole team attending the annual Ipswich NAIDOC Family and Cultural Celebration held at Flinders View on 11 July 2019.
They will staff a stall to provide information regarding the work of QCS, employment opportunities within QCS, and information regarding the Victims Register. There will also be demonstrations by a Passive Alert Drug Detection dog and its handler.
On 12 July, the Mackay Probation and Parole office will be contributing to a specially decorated float involving several relevant government departments for a street parade through Mackay.
Later in the month, Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre is planning host a school holiday event in which women and their children participate in a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture through a welcoming ceremony for babies and young children of all cultural backgrounds.
