Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory

27/08/2025

John Paterson Close the Gap on Racism: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and Kaanju and Birri/Widi woman Katie Kiss has welcomed NSW’s new racial hatred laws, describing them as a vital step toward justice for First Nations people and an important milestone in protecting vulnerable communities.

It is now illegal in New South Wales to intentionally incite hatred against someone because of their race, including colour, nationality, ethnicity, descent, or ethno-religious background.

These laws send a clear message: racial hatred has no place in our community," the commissioner told NITV.

Ms Kiss says the new racial hatred laws mark an important milestone in protecting vulnerable communities and promoting justice for First Nations people.

"For First Nations people, who have long faced racism and discrimination, these reforms are a significant step toward justice," she said.

"Providing legal avenues to address racial hatred recognises their rights and dignity, and reinforces that our legal system must protect those most vulnerable from harm."

The new law aims to protect communities from the harms of racial hatred while preserving freedom of speech on religion, politics, and public issues.

Under the law, it is a crime if someone publicly says or does something intended to encourage others to hate a person or group based on race - and if a reasonable person would feel threatened, intimidated, or unsafe as a result.

Who is affected and what counts as a crime
To be charged, three conditions must be met:

The act occurs in public – this includes speeches, social media posts, graffiti, or rallies

Intentional incitement of hate – the person must aim to stir up hatred based on race

Reasonable fear caused – the action must make a reasonable person targeted by the act, or a member of that group, fear harassment, intimidation, or violence

Even if someone’s race is misidentified, charges can still apply, as intention and impact are central.

Read full article

https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/nsw-introduces-new-law-making-racial-hatred-a-crime/7jf6yt8gx

27/08/2025

NT Mental Health Coalition

Mental Health Association Central Australia
Register: https://www.mhaca.org.au/services/training/

27/08/2025

John Paterson Come and join us at AMSANT and help support Aboriginal community controlled health services across the Northern Territory.

We currently have several exciting vacancies open and are looking for passionate, skilled people to come on board.

Meaningful work supporting Aboriginal medical services
Opportunities to grow and develop your career
Generous leave entitlements, salary packaging options, and a range of additional employment benefits are on offer
Work in a collaborative environment focused on improving health outcomes

To view all current vacancies and apply, visit https://amsant.applynow.net.au/

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Coalition of Peaks
Northern Territory PHN
Katie Kiss - Social Justice Commissioner

27/08/2025

John Paterson We are very excited to share a sneak peek of Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Mparntwe Health Hub 🌟
This project has been a long time coming.

Through the roles of chairs Ebony Abbott Mc Cormack ( Current ) Graham Dowling and Uncle William Pengarte Tilmouth, together with CEO Donna Ah Chee and the commitment of Board members over many years, this Hub represents a journey of shared vision finally coming to life.

Yesterday, the Board had the privilege of walking through the building to marvel at what will soon be the new home to many of our employees and programs. It is truly inspiring to see this vision take shape.

What makes this milestone even more remarkable is that the Hub has achieved a 6 Star Green Rating – possibly the first of its kind in the Northern Territory. This was a deliberate push from our Board and Executive, in consultation with our designer, to ensure we were doing the very best we could for sustainability and innovation.

There are many people and businesses to thank for their
Once again, Congress is leading the way – not only in delivering health care, but also in building spaces that set new standards, respect Country and serve generations to come.

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Coalition of Peaks
Northern Territory PHN
Katie Kiss - Social Justice Commissioner

26/08/2025

John Paterson Close the Gap on colonisation, our Health and Healing

Over the last two decades, there has been a noticeable increase in public awareness of the material disadvantages faced by Indigenous Australians, and how the lineage of these disadvantages can be traced back to colonisation.

The political determination to address this disparity gave rise to a series of Closing the Gap targets — first framed under the Rudd government in 2009, with a more recent National Agreement implemented in 2019.

These policies focus on disadvantages in health, education, employment and other social outcomes.

But beneath the material disadvantages experienced by First Nations communities in settler colonial nations lies the devastating injury done to the spirit of First Nations people that cannot be remedied by funded service strategies alone.

Spiritual healing is as important as redressing inequalities. Deep Indigenous spiritual renewal and the bureaucratic policymaking process have limited overlap, and so leadership in this space has come from Indigenous communities themselves.

Healing Our Spirit Worldwide (HOSW), founded by Carrier Elder Maggie Hodgson in British Columbia, is one particularly notable global Indigenous movement that has connected diverse Indigenous peoples with the goal of collectively healing the spiritual wounds inflicted by colonisation for more than three decades. It gathers individuals, families, communities and nations, all striving to reclaim and revitalise spirit, culture and dignity.

Through shared experiences, cultural practices, sacred ceremonies and deep listening (known as Djarra in some Top End Aboriginal communities), HOSW fosters the unity and strength needed to overcome ongoing social and political challenges.

Australia must more deeply and seriously engage with the role of healing spirit in addressing material disadvantage, and how it builds on strengths in First Nations cultures to redress the assault on cultures inflicted by colonisation.

And as we shall argue, the lessons for healing spiritual damage here extend beyond the Indigenous experience; they have implications for many of the pathologies now rife across the modern world. This is, therefore, an opportunity to recognise the role that Indigenous knowledge and leadership can play in articulating remedies for shared ills.

The spiritual consequences of colonisation

Why is such spiritual healing necessary? The answer lies in the prolonged and profound consequences of colonialism, a force which sought not just physical dominance over but also the spiritual dismantling of Indigenous peoples. Colonisation systematically attacked Indigenous spirituality by banning sacred ceremonies, destroying culturally significant sites, outlawing traditional languages and replacing these with colonisers’ religious and cultural practices.

Perhaps the most insidious of practices was the removal of children, a deliberate effort to sever the continuity of culture and spirit across future generations.

Colonisation involved the dominance and material expropriation of Indigenous lands, as well as the cultural erasure of Indigenous identity, spirit and humanity by means of the imposition of non-Indigenous prejudices and the undermining Indigenous social and spiritual practices.

This process eroded the capability, confidence, camaraderie, ways of knowing, ways of being and shared spirit of Indigenous peoples. It thereby inflicted intergenerational trauma and created profound social inequalities, which leave deep spiritual scars.

Furthermore, colonial institutions appropriated many sacred objects under the pretence of conservation or representation for future settler generations, thereby exacerbating the cultural trauma.

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Northern Territory PHN
Katie Kiss - Social Justice Commissioner
North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency

26/08/2025

John Paterson We need to close the gap on men’s health

Australian Men's Health Forum register below ⬇️

Our CTG Co chair Karl Briscoe CEO, National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners, is a key speaker at the 10th Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Male Health Convention in October.

This is a powerful coming together of voices, knowledge, and leadership from across the country.

Register

https://www.menshealthgathering.org.au/registration

NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Coalition of Peaks
Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory
NATSILS - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services
National Association of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Workers

26/08/2025

John Paterson The NT government has defended its failure to meet Closing the Gap targets as a measure to keep the community safe, drawing the ire of the federal Indigenous Australians Minister, Indigenous groups and a local MLA.

The Closing the Gap targets focus on areas Indigenous Australians are lagging behind their compatriots on issues such as health, education, incarceration and the economy.

The latest 2025 report released in July found Indigenous people in the Territory are going backwards in eight of the 15 assessed target areas.

Indigenous Australians Minister Senator Malarndirri McCarthy was frank in her assessment of the Territory’s lack of progress following a meeting of attorney-generals in Sydney last Friday.

“The Northern Territory has the worst outcomes when it comes to Closing the Gap,” she said.

Senator McCarthy called out the Territory’s recent tough on crime and youth justice reforms.

“Last week, I met with the Northern Territory Chief Minister, in those discussions I made very clear the concerns I have in regards to First Nations youths in watch houses and the reintroduction of spit hoods,” she said.

Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said her government would put community safety ahead of the targets.

“Our government acknowledges the Closing the Gap targets, but this cannot come at the expense of community safety,” Ms Boothby said.

“Our government is delivering both: putting victims first through stronger bail laws, while tackling the root causes of crime by keeping kids in school, holding parents accountable, and creating pathways for young people.

“Let’s be clear — nobody wants to see Closing the Gap outcomes worsen, but the last decade shows what was being done simply hasn’t worked.

“That’s why our government has changed direction, putting victims and community safety first, strengthening our laws, and tackling the root causes Labor ignored.”

Independent MLA Justine Davis said the two goals — closing the gap and community safety — could both be achieved.

“Filling our prisons with children and Aboriginal Territorians is not community safety,” she said.

“Community safety and justice for Aboriginal people are not competing goals — they are the same goal.

“True community safety means tackling the real causes of harm: inequality, trauma, lack of opportunity for young people, unstable housing, and unaddressed health and mental health issues.”

Acting chief executive of the peak Aboriginal health organisation body AMSANT, Erin Lew-Fatt, also criticised the top law officer’s comments.

“It is deeply concerning to see the NT Government distance itself from that commitment by framing Closing the Gap targets as somehow at odds with community safety.

“True community safety is for everyone.”

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
Northern Territory PHN
Katie Kiss - Social Justice Commissioner
North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency
Marie-Clare Boothby MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Coalition of Peaks

26/08/2025

John Paterson The Country Liberal Party (CLP) has completed its first year in government in the Northern Territory, presiding over one of the sharpest rises in incarceration in the Territory's history and near universal criticism from Indigenous, legal and human rights groups.

A year after their landslide election victory — which reduced Labor to a handful of regional and rural seats — the CLP has made sweeping changes to law and order policy, however experts and Aboriginal leaders warn the approach is driving up imprisonment, worsening prison conditions, and deepening mistrust between government and Aboriginal communities.

The CLP has shown little willingness to shift course, dismissing critics as "offender apologists" and insisting its mandate is to make Territorians safer.

"We came into government with a clear mandate to make the Territory safer, stronger and more secure – and that's exactly what we've done," Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said.

"The first year was about action, certainty and security. We've backed our police, held offenders to account, supported victims, and provided Territorians with confidence in the future of our economy and lifestyle."

Ms Finocchiaro argued the Territory has recorded 605 fewer victims of crime in the first half of 2025 — a 4.7 per cent decrease "compared with Labor".

Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT chief executive Dr John Paterson summed up how many viewed a law and order crackdown in the midst of a human rights crisis.

"The Territory has nearly 6,000 people on the public housing waitlist. One in five Aboriginal people here are experiencing homelessness. We have 13 times the national rate of people sleeping rough," Dr Paterson said.

"This crisis is driven by overcrowded housing, family and domestic violence, incarceration, and chronic underinvestment in social services. The same government that is pushing more people onto the street is now arming the public with a harmful weapon. It defies all logic."

Read full article here

https://nit.com.au/26-08-2025/19857/analysis-clps-crime-crackdown-has-only-deepended-the-nts-incarceration-crisis

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Marion Scrymgour MP
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
Northern Territory PHN
Katie Kiss - Social Justice Commissioner
North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency
Steve Edgington MLA
Central Land Council

26/08/2025

iSISTAQUIT invites all AMSANT members involved in smoking cessation for our Aboriginal women to their Community of Practice Webinar

Wednesday 27th Aug 1.00 pm to 2.00 pm NT Time

(130-230 NSW time

via teams

iSISTAQUIT Community of Practice:

Special Guest: Kate from Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service

Health professionals adapting the iSISTAQUIT Resources to their community context

Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting

Meeting ID: 463 353 841 895 6
Passcode: Jq73Sw9y

Danila Dilba Health Service
Erin Lew Fatt
Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation
Wurli-Wurlinjang Aboriginal Health Service
Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation
Katherine West Health Board
Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation
ManyRivers Fvpls
Steve Edgington MLA
Marion Scrymgour MP
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Mala'la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation
Red Lily HB
North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency
Big Rivers Tackling Indigenous Smoking
Marie-Clare Boothby MLA
Top End Tackling Indigenous Smoking
Northern Territory PHN
NT Mental Health Coalition

26/08/2025

John Paterson Acting CEO of our peak Aboriginal health organisation body AMSANT, Erin Lew-Fatt also criticised the NT top law officer’s Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby comments about Closing the Gap

“It is deeply concerning to see the NT Government distance itself from that commitment by framing Closing the Gap targets as somehow at odds with community safety.

“True community safety is for everyone.”

Read full story from the News

The NT government has defended its failure to meet Closing the Gap targets as a measure to keep the community safe, drawing the ire of the federal Indigenous Australians Minister, Indigenous groups and a local MLA.

The Closing the Gap targets focus on areas Indigenous Australians are lagging behind their compatriots on issues such as health, education, incarceration and the economy.

The latest 2025 report released in July found Indigenous people in the Territory are going backwards in eight of the 15 assessed target areas.

Indigenous Australians Minister Senator Malarndirri McCarthy was frank in her assessment of the Territory’s lack of progress following a meeting of attorney-generals in Sydney last Friday.

The Northern Territory has the worst outcomes when it comes to Closing the Gap,” she said.

Senator McCarthy called out the Territory’s recent tough on crime and youth justice reforms.

“Last week, I met with the Northern Territory Chief Minister, in those discussions I made very clear the concerns I have in regards to First Nations youths in watch houses and the reintroduction of spit hoods,” she said.

Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said her government would put community safety ahead of the targets.

Our Government acknowledges the Closing the Gap targets, but this cannot come at the expense of community safety,” Ms Boothby said

The NT government has defended its failure to meet Closing the Gap targets as a measure to keep the community safe, drawing the ire of the federal Indigenous Australians Minister, Indigenous groups and a local MLA.

The Closing the Gap targets focus on areas Indigenous Australians are lagging behind their compatriots on issues such as health, education, incarceration and the economy.

The latest 2025 report released in July found Indigenous people in the Territory are going backwards in eight of the 15 assessed target areas.

Indigenous Australians Minister Senator Malarndirri McCarthy was frank in her assessment of the Territory’s lack of progress following a meeting of attorney-generals in Sydney last Friday.

“The Northern Territory has the worst outcomes when it comes to Closing the Gap,” she said.

Senator McCarthy called out the Territory’s recent tough on crime and youth justice reforms.

“Last week, I met with the Northern Territory Chief Minister, in those discussions I made very clear the concerns I have in regards to First Nations youths in watch houses and the reintroduction of spit hoods,” she said.

Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said her government would put community safety ahead of

“Our Government acknowledges the Closing the Gap targets, but this cannot come at the expense of community safety,” Ms Boothby said.

“Our government is delivering both: putting victims first through stronger bail laws, while tackling the root causes of crime by keeping kids in school, holding parents accountable, and creating pathways for young people.

“Let’s be clear — nobody wants to see Closing the Gap outcomes worsen, but the last decade shows what was being done simply hasn’t worked.

“That’s why our government has changed direction, putting victims and community safety first, strengthening our laws, and tackling the root causes Labor ignored.”

Independent MLA Justine Davis said the two goals — closing the gap and community safety — could both be achieved.

“Filling our prisons with children and Aboriginal Territorians is not community safety,” she said.

“Community safety and justice for Aboriginal people are not competing goals — they are the same goal.

community safety means tackling the real causes of harm: inequality, trauma, lack of opportunity for young people, unstable housing, and unaddressed health and mental health issues.”

Acting chief executive of the peak Aboriginal health organisation body AMSANT, Erin Lew-Fatt, also criticised the top law officer’s comments.

“It is deeply concerning to see the NT Government distance itself from that commitment by framing ClosingErin Lew FatteSenator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern TerritoryuMarion Scrymgour MPiSteve Edgington MLArLia Finocchiaro MLA Marie-Clare Boothby MLANCoalition of PeaksMNACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia Katie Kiss - Social Justice CommissionerhLuke Gosling MPnNorth Australian Aboriginal Justice AgencyiNATSILS - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Serviceslian Aboriginal Justice Agency
NATSILS - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services

25/08/2025

NATSILS - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services have joined with more than 20 organisations in signing an open letter from Kumanjayi Walker’s family to the NT Government, urging them to end Aboriginal deaths at the hands of police.

The letter calls for the Finocchiaro Government to publicly commit to implementing the recommendations of Coroner Armitage in the inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker, and to engage with Aboriginal communities and the legal sector.

We extend our deepest condolences to Kumanjayi Walker’s family, and we support their calls which reflect clear, community-driven solutions that are actionable.

Read / Download the press release

https://www.natsils.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/MR-2508-No-more-Aboriginal-deaths-at-the-hands-of-police.pdf?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=bau

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Office of the Children's Commissioner NT
North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
John Paterson
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia

25/08/2025

John Paterson During the first week of the new parliament, the NT government lowered the age of criminal responsibility from 12 back to 10.

It passed tougher bail legislation, extra police powers and public drinking laws that same week.

Within six months, 402 children — mostly Indigenous — had been held in police watch houses.

That is around 1.5 per cent of territory children aged between 10 and 17.

Spit hoods have also been reintroduced into youth detention facilities, among a suite of changes to the Youth Justice Act.

After the fatal stabbing of popular supermarket owner Linford Feick, which rocked the Darwin community in April this year, the chief minister urgently recalled parliament to make her tough new bail laws even tougher.

Changes to bail have contributed to an extra 600 adults being held in territory jails than under Labor.

Despite opening up new prisons, the government cannot keep up with the influx.

Overflow prisoners are being held in police watch houses, where up to 20 people share singular cells in "horrible" conditions.

From next Monday, members of the public will also be allowed to carry and use pepper spray for "self-defence".

Read full story

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-26/nt-clp-government-one-year-on-from-being-elected-crime-reform/105693154?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
Katie Kiss - Social Justice Commissioner
Office of the Children's Commissioner NT
North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency