Announcement – dedicated First Nations Services directorate

We are committed to offering accessible, timely, culturally safe and responsive services and supports to First Nations peoples. Now the creation of a stand-alone First Nations Services directorate will elevate First Nations leadership while providing clear governance mechanisms for all our First Nations projects and initiatives.

Director Ashley Morris of First Nations Services says ‘In establishing this stand-alone directorate we can better ensure that service design and delivery prioritises culture, acknowledges trauma and supports healing, addresses racism and promotes cultural safety.’

The directorate will lead and support projects and initiatives which aim to address systemic racism and disadvantage and are shaped by self-determination and accountability of First Nations peoples. It will build our capacity as an employer of choice for First Nations people, and put into practice our ambitions to embed First Nations expertise and leadership in our service design, delivery, and evaluation decisions.

CEO Louise Glanville says ‘This is a significant moment in the ongoing development of our organisational culture around how we approach First Nations justice issues. This is a practical initiative that will make a real difference for First Nations clients and communities.’

Since 2016 we have taken significant steps toward improving how we engage with First Nations communities across the state. This began with the creation of the appointment of our first Associate Director, Aboriginal Services, the introduction of our Aboriginal Community Engagement Officer (ACEO) Program, our successive Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs), and the development of key strategies aimed at strengthening our staff’s cultural learning. We acknowledge Meena Singh, Alan Dewis and Lawrence Moser, who previously led our First Nations work.

Our Board Chair Bill Jaboor says ‘The creation of a standalone directorate not only moves us closer to our RAP commitments on increasing the proportion of First Nations staff, but also allows us to better promote reconciliation outcomes and culturally safe services across the legal sector.’

This continues our reconciliation journey by building mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal legal services and community-controlled organisations and will support our ongoing pursuit of law reform and strategic advocacy which seeks to meaningfully address systemic racism and injustice and promote the rights of First Nations peoples.

Our vision is for a fair and just society where everyone is equal, we prioritise achieving better outcomes for First Nations people in the legal system by following the lead, expertise and solutions of First Nations people.

More information

Read our reconciliation action plan

Read about First Nations employment.