As a part of the IJC’s commitment to promote discussion and disseminate relevant Indigenous justice information, we are hosting a presentation from 11:00am to 1:00 pm (AEST) on Wednesday 7 September 2022, on ‘the effects of coercive control laws on Indigenous Women and Families.’
The participants will share their knowledge and experience on this topic from their work in the areas of research, legal and support services, and policy relating to family violence. If you would like to attend please email ijc@justice.nsw.gov.au and an invite will be forwarded.
Associate Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon
Monash University
Kate Fitz-Gibbon is Director of the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre and an Associate Professor in Criminology at Monash University. Kate is a leading national and internationally recognised scholar in the field of family violence, femicide, criminal justice responses to violence against women, and the impact of criminal law reform in Australia and internationally. The findings of her research have been published in leading academic journals and books. Kate has advised on homicide law reform, family violence and youth justice reviews in several Australian and international jurisdictions. Her research has been cited by the High Court of Australia. In 2016 Kate was appointed as a member of the Victorian Government’s Expert Advisory Committee on Perpetrator Interventions. In 2021 she was appointed Chair of Respect Victoria by the Victorian Government.
Thelma Schwartz
Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service
Thelma Schwartz is the Principal Legal Officer of QIFVLS, an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisation providing legal and non-legal support services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander survivors of family violence and/or sexual assault. QIFVLS services 80+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities including the Outer Islands of the Torres Straits on the international border with Papua New Guinea. Thelma identifies as of Torres Strait Islander heritage, alongside her German Samoan and Papua New Guinea heritage and has worked has a legal practitioner for 23 years. Thelma has worked extensively with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Northern Territory and regional and remote Qld, representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defendants in both the criminal justice system as well as advocating for victims and survivors of family violence and sexual assault. Thelma is also a member of the Queensland Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce.
Christine Robinson
Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Service
Christine Robinson is the Co-ordinator at Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Service. The service provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children in NSW with a gender-specific service sensitive to their culturally diverse needs. The team at Wirringa Baiya assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women victims-survivors of violence to access appropriate legal representation, advocacy, advice, and referrals.
Marisa Moliterno
CRC Miranda Project
Marisa Moliterno is the Program Manager for the Miranda Project. The project is an innovative, gender-specific program working with people who identify as female who are at risk of both domestic violence and criminal justice system involvement. The Miranda Project assists vulnerable women attending court, on community orders or exiting prison. The Miranda Project aims to halt the increase in the women’s prison population through the provision of genuine support and the development of alternative pathways within the community.
Sallie McLean
NSW Department of Communities and Justice – Policy, Reform and Legislation.
Sallie Mclean is the Director of the Law Enforcement and Crime team (LEC) in DCJ’s Policy Reform and Legislation branch. Sallie’s background is in criminal law reform, and Sallie previously held positions in the NSW Law Reform Commission and the Australian Law Reform Commission, where she was the Principal Legal Officer on the Pathways to Justice report. The LEC team is responsible for legal policy and legislative change to any offence against a person, which has included the recent consent law reforms and the proposed coercive control offence.