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A Wiradjuri man and current Legal Aid chief will head up the NSW government’s new division dedicated to improving Aboriginal outcomes in criminal justice, child protection and housing, Attorney-General Mark Speakman announced.
Brendan Thomas commenced this month as the government’s new deputy secretary transforming Aboriginal outcomes, which will operate under the Department of Communities and Justice. In this role, Mr Thomas will drive the government in meeting the National Agreement on Closing the Gap targets across key issues.
“I’ve been given a huge role to undertake – one that is more than 200 years in the making,” Mr Thomas said. “DCJ touches so many Aboriginal lives in so many ways.
“This means it has the potential to divert people away from prison and to ensure women and children are safe in their homes. These are important issues affecting our most vulnerable that we can and we must continue to address.”
Mr Thomas, who was appointed CEO of Legal Aid in 2017, said that the only way to make a difference is to change the system as well as “embrace and engage” with Aboriginal communities while also transforming their perception of the department.
Prior to his role with Legal Aid, Mr Thomas was the deputy secretary in the former Department of Justice, where he led major criminal and civil justice reforms in the fields of domestic violence, services to victims of crime and Aboriginal communities.
Mr Speakman said the government is committed to tackling the “deep-rooted” causes of Aboriginal disadvantage and improving its services and programs to “achieve meaningful, permanent outcomes that improve their lives”.
“Brendan’s appointment to this important new role will drive us in meeting the National Agreement on Closing the Gap targets across child protection, the criminal justice system, housing and the prevention of domestic violence,” he said.
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
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