Press Releases
The National Network writes media releases in response to current affairs and our members speak at events, protests, conferences, panels and appear in mainstream media.
Victoria’s $727 Million Investment in Expanding the Carceral State is an Outrageous Misallocation of Resources
We stand in full solidarity with justice organisations and advocates across Victoria in condemning the Victorian government's decision to allocate a staggering $727 million to expand the state's prisons and youth justice centres. ‘At a time when communities are...
CLP Government’s Budget Rewards Punishment, Abandons Victims Behind Bars
The National Network of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls condemns the CLP Government’s continued failure to recognise that the majority of people in their prisons are, themselves, victims of violence, poverty, homelessness, and systemic neglect....
System Collapse in the Northern Territory: End the Violent Punishment
The Northern Territory’s prison system is in a state of collapse. Behind bars at Darwin Correctional Centre, prisoners are experiencing escalating violence, distress, and institutional neglect. ‘We must be clear: this is not a system under pressure — it is a system...
Close Ashley. Don’t Build Another. Invest in Our Children, Not Prisons.
The National Network of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls stands in full support of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre’s call for the immediate and permanent closure of Ashley Youth Detention Centre—and demands the Tasmanian Government abandon its...
SA’s Bail Law Review Must Not Be Used to Justify More Punishment and Imprisonment
The National Network of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls expresses deep concern about the newly announced review of the Bail Act 1985 by the South Australian Law Reform Institute (SALRI). ‘While this review is framed as a balanced and inclusive...
We Are Not at War with Children: National Network Responds to NSW Review of doli incapax
The National Network of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls condemns the NSW Government’s carceral approach to reviewing doli incapax—a centuries-old legal presumption that children aged 10 to 13 are not criminally responsible unless they clearly...
National Network Condemn the SA Government’s New Law-and-Order Legislation: Punitive, Regressive, and a Betrayal of Justice
The South Australian Government has once again demonstrated its commitment to punitive law-and-order politics over meaningful legal transformation, with a raft of new legislation that expands police powers and erodes fundamental legal protections. ‘The National...
Northern Territory Chief Minister’s Kneejerk Bail Reform Response Will Not Deliver Community Safety
The National Network send our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and community of Linford Feick. ‘Linford Feick’s death is a tragedy, and our thoughts are with all those who loved and knew him. We acknowledge the pain and grief the community is feeling....
National Network Condemns CLP’s Mandatory Sentencing Push – Calls Out Misleading Parliamentary Claims?
The National Network of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls strongly condemns the Country Liberal Party (CLP) plan to introduce mandatory sentencing for assaults on frontline workers. ‘This punitive legislation will do nothing to ensure safety and...
South Australian Government’s Public Housing Crackdown Will Drive More People into Homelessness
‘The South Australian Government’s new policy making it easier to evict public housing tenants is a dangerous and short sighted response to community concerns about so called anti-social behaviour,’ said Tabitha Lean. ‘At a time when we are in the grip of a housing...
Condemnation of the South Australian State Government’s “Tough on Youth Crime” Response
The National Network strongly condemns the state government’s recent announcement of a so- called ‘Youth and Street Gangs Task Force.’ ‘Expanding police powers and redirecting resources toward policing children does not create safety for everyone—instead, it deepens...
Maltreatment of Prisoners Exposed in SA Ombudsman’s Annual Report
The release of the 2023-24 South Australian Ombudsman’s Annual Report has revealed a deeply disturbing incident in which a correctional services officer used a prison intercom system to harass, abuse, and counsel an inmate toward suicide. This shocking case, one of...
Moreton Bay’s Homeless Left Without Compassion or Solutions: A Call for Leadership
The City of Moreton Bay's recent decision to penalise and criminalise homelessness and vulnerable people for owning pets is a devastating blow to some of our most marginalised community members. ‘This heavy-handed approach highlights a stunning lack of compassion and...
NSW Report Highlights Rising Criminalisation of Women
The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has released a stark new report, Trends in female offending in New South Wales: 2014 to 2023 by Neil Donnelly, revealing a sharp increase in the number of women being criminalised in New South Wales. ‘The...
National Review of First Nations Health Care in Prisons: A Missed Opportunity to Address Urgent Issues
The Minister for Health has released the Nous Group’s National Review of First Nations Health Care in Prisons: Final Report and the Health Ministers’ joint response to the review. ‘As a National Network of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, we...