Both extraordinary and important.

At Vacro, we strongly oppose the proposed changes to youth justice legislation to try children in the adult system and incarcerate them, in some cases, for life. Vacro will work with our sector colleagues to advocate against this harmful legislation being passed and push instead for what works.

Our world-first Reintegration Practice Framework was recently cited by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in its global study on social reintegration: www.ohchr.org/en/documents... The report was presented to the Sixtieth session of the Human Rights Council.

Submissions are now pouring in and the common factor is that almost everyone – the competition regulator, manufacturers and even some in the gas industry – is pointing the finger at Santos. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

How did #Housing shape the 2025 #auspol Election? Come to our free webinar. We analyse new data to see how generation, tenure and voting shape housing politics With @emmabaker.bsky.social @shaunratcliff.bsky.social and @everybodyshome.bsky.social Maiy Azize events.humanitix.com/webinar-on-h...

We were proud to attend the Inner North Community Foundation Awards at Abbotsford Convent last night and celebrate the ongoing funding awarded to our Second Chance Cycles program.

“The 20-year study also found that the increase in prison population did not correlate with an increase in individuals committing crimes, with the number of offenders per capita reaching its lowest level in 2023-24.”

My reflections at the end of #ISHF2025 Day 1: My God, we are so behind! So many accepted norms in much of Europe – Housing First; rent control; STR regulation (/eradication!); the basic premise that market intervention is needed in a failed housing market – are considered radical in Australia.

Who else out there is heading to #ISHF2025? I'm so excited to visit Dublin for the first time (!) and learn from social housing experts from around the world!

Two ABC articles, one day apart. Two diametrically opposed approaches to crime prevention. One works. The other just got three quarters of a billion dollars in funding. If we want stronger, safer communities that can overcome the drivers of crime, we *must* invest in them instead.

Wanna reduce crime? Open more libraries. "we find within the nearby proximity of the library; there is a substantial reduction in frequency of burglaries, vandalism, robberies, fraud, and assaults." link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Fentanyl deaths are up by 50 percent in San Francisco after Mayor Lurie replaced harm reduction programs with police and prisons. It's almost like you put lives in danger when you treat a public health problem like it's a crime 48hills.org/2025/05/fent...

Nearly a billion dollars magically found in this 'tight fiscal environment' to punish and harm more people. Nearly a billion dollars that could have gone to youth and community services that *actually* build stronger and safer communities. Absolutely infuriating.

Do you know someone who: 🟣Is a digital comms whizz & can do socials, email, website, & even a bit of video/graphic design?! 🟣Is passionate & knowledgeable about justice system reform?! 🟣Wants flexible p/t hours at an NFP that walks the talk & truly supports wellbeing?! Send them to me please! ⤵️

International students are perhaps the most unfairly attacked demographic in all of Australia. We invite them here. The reason they come is to get an education. Most are incredibly nice people who benefit our country in all sorts of ways. They massively cross-subsidise domestic students.

Utterly moronic decision-making by BOTH duopoly parties - sacrificing the hugely important education sector when it should be thriving, all because they’re incapable of tough decisions on real estate investment rorts. Cutting students is not the solution to housing. amp.abc.net.au/article/1051...

Australia could be taking advantage of the millions of students now too scared to go to university in America. Instead both Dutton and Albanese are threatening to *massively reduce* intl student numbers.

The VIC Government has announced plans to reverse its 2023 bail reforms. This will hurt children, families, and communities. Harsh bail laws put thousands of people in prison who likely won’t be sentenced to a term of imprisonment and may not even be convicted of a crime. Read our media release:

Closures instead of 'reforms'. Releases instead of transfers. Inside the @curbprisons.bsky.social People’s Plan for Prison Closure:

Australian landlords are rushing to their property managers right now to drop rents. That's how it goes yeah? #shitrentals

The willingness of our politicians, institutions and corporations, from the ABC down, to allow themselves to be intimidated like this speaks to the fragility of our democracy. Lattouf, Sakr, Lalor and now Sabsabi. By being so gutless, these organisations make us all vulnerable to authoritarianism.

Creative Australia ditching Khaled Sabsabi as our representative at the Venice Biennale is an extraordinary denial of artistic freedom by our supposedly leading & independent arts advocate. A week ago Sabsabi said he thought the honour "wouldn’t happen because of who I am.” Turns out he was right.

#BREAKING All five artistic teams shortlisted for the 61st Venice Biennale have released a joint statement in support of winning duo Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino who were dumped by Creative Australia following media and political pressure. The group calls for them to be reinstated.

WHAT! I was literally just listening to his Full Story interview this morning. This is disgusting

Instead of wasting money on unqualified fly-in fly-out Serco/G4S contractors, the NT govt might consider investments in well-designed community services that keep people out of prison altogether. Federal investment in the Anindilyakwa Peacemaker Program on Groote Eylandt had remarkable results:

"They live, move and work in these illegal contexts, evading every form of surveillance, civilian reporting/snitching, law enforcement and racist neighbors and lawmakers. They do it by building community, through organizing, creativity, persistence and above all, noncompliance."

I love this type of advocacy/campaigning that's just DOING stuff (and then maybe doing some post-stuff strategic litigation)

Just published, yesterday’s episode with @floreani.bsky.social on digital rights, the impact of AI on social platforms, tenant rights and privacy. Check it out here: joy.org.au/technogaze/2...

Thinking about the time I had to upload my literal birth certificate to one of the generic rental application websites because it was the only way to meet their ID requirements as an immigrant 🙃

Submissions open today for the Keeley Schenwar Memorial Essay Prize. This prize uplifts the work of writers who are currently & formerly incarcerated. truthout.org/articles/kee... Spread the word! The prize honors my sister, who died five years ago after many years in and out of incarceration. 💔

Strong stance by @zoedaniel.bsky.social 👏 "Mandatory minimum sentences do not reflect good parliamentary practice or good governance. Nor do they respect the sanctity of Australia’s constitution and separation of powers, and the importance judicial independence."

As someone almost as obsessed with pedestrianisation as I am with abolition, this new @ianloader.bsky.social article was pure *chef's kiss*:

harsher penalty deterrnce is the most disproven political claim in crime policy. Here is the 2025 Productivity Commission report detailing over $25 billion spent on maintaining a carceral state that does not stop <AND IS ITSELF> violence. www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/repo...

A respected colleague & friend with a keen eye on these inequalities, @fergusmcneill.bsky.social, did the sums on the £1billion prison price tag for 1,344 men: You could build over 6,000 affordable social housing units for that price, at £166K each. That’s about 4.5 homes per prisoner place. [6/🧵]

Let's not fight another election on these failed policies. Instead of competing over who will pour more money into a harmful prison system, we call on the government and the Opposition to compete - just as rigorously! - over who will invest more money into our communities.

The government, the Opposition, and the media must all stop pretending - against all evidence - that 'tougher bail laws' will do anything for the people of Werribee except extend the harms of the prison system deeper into their community.

If the major parties want to win in Werribee - or any other community in the state - they must invest in the things that make the community stronger and safer: a well-designed, joined-up social service system, dedicated youth support, affordable housing, and diversion from the justice system.

Well, the first sitting day of the year at #springst has made clear what we all expected: the Opposition wants to fight this election on 'crime', and Labor wants to let them win it.

Is there anyone out there who can gift me this article? 🙏

Do you have a loved one in prison or have other first hand knowledge of whether and how this was announced/implemented over the weekend? My DMs are open 📬

It's the greatest honour to work on this campaign with colleagues and participants (and their families) @vacro.bsky.social, as well as our sector partners. From tomorrow, the cost of calling a mobile from prison in Victoria will be cut by more than half!

National Day of Action to protect #trans youth. Gender affirming care is life-changing & often life-saving #healthcare consistent with #childrens #CRC rights. @transjusticeau.bsky.social #HumanRights #LGBTQ #auslaw transjustice.org.au/youth/

This is really cool - looks like you can donate your skills from overseas as well

"The widespread use of pretrial detention is a relatively new phenomenon, and its expanded use was largely untethered from the problem of flight or public safety." On coming to realise that the detention of legally innocent people pretrial (on remand) is indefensible: inquest.org/no-more-pret...

Important story out today in @theappeal.org by the great @byadamrhodes.bsky.social theappeal.org/trump-execut...

“Criminalization is the indispensable fuel of fascism. It is central to the fascist project; not a peripheral issue.” Read @prisonculture.bsky.social in conversation with @mskellymhayes.bsky.social organizingmythoughts.org/wading-into-...

Die Zeit, a prominent German publication, titles its article: 'A Hitler salute is a Hitler salute is a Hitler salute.'

Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde to Trump: "I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender people in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives ... and the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals"

"Coming into government after nine years of opposition, all they’re focused on is holding onto power." This @alexmckinnon.bsky.social interview with Senator Payman made me grind my teeth in rage at all the wasted centre-'left' govts across the world: everythingisfine.beehiiv.com/p/fatima-pay...