Category: blog
MEDIA RELEASE – Just Reinvest NSW announces new Board of Directors following the transition from its status as an association to a Company Limited by Guarantee
Just Reinvest NSW Chair Blake Alan Cansdale 20/01/2026 REDFERN, Sydney: Just Reinvest NSW (JRNSW) today announced its new majority Aboriginal Board with new Chair Mr. Blake Alan Cansdale and Board Directors Paul Morris, Prof. Jack Beetson and Karlie Stewart. Gino Vumbaca and Paul Wright will be retained as Independent Directors. “I am honoured and excited […]
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STAFF PROFILE – Dillion Saunders-Carr. You might recognise Dillon as one of the stars of the Mounty Yarns film. He is the newest member of the Youth on Track team in Mt Druitt and started out with JRNSW as a Youth Ambassador. Dillon now works as a full-time Youth Worker.
Dillon Saunders-Carr (pictured right) with a colleague in Mt Druitt A typical day for Dillon as a Youth Worker is “full on”. You might be mistaken for thinking that it’s all about running programs and youth engagement (the fun stuff) – but there’s a significant administrative responsibility in the role, such as keeping case notes. […]
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STAFF PROFILE – Mekayla Cochrane: “To succeed, you need to be adaptable and independent. You have to be ready for the lows, but the highs do balance it out. Community can be hard work, but it’s so rewarding.”
Mekayla did a trial with JRNSW during the pandemic and found that the ways of doing things and ways of working challenged the norm. She enjoyed seeing community-led initiatives take place, rather than a local government driven perspective, where those who would not usually can step up and lead were given a platform. Mekayla joined […]
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STAFF PROFILE – Archie Darcy is a dedicated member of the Youth on Track team at the JRNSW Mt Druitt site, where he brings passion, lived experience and deep community ties to his work with young people.
Archie Darcy is a dedicated member of the Youth on Track team at the JRNSW Mt Druitt site, where he brings passion, lived experience and deep community ties to his work with young people. Archie began his journey with JRNSW as a Youth Worker, supporting young people with essential welfare needs such as arranging birth […]
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NEW VIDEO – JR Community of Practice in Nowra Reinforces Sharing of Knowledge and Experience Across NSW Communities
Across three days in September, seven community organisations involved in justice reinvestment (JR) initiatives came together for the first community-hosted JR Community of Practice meeting in New South Wales; co-hosted by Just Reinvest NSW (JRNSW) and Waminda South Coast Aboriginal Women’s Health & Wellbeing Coorporation. Aboriginal community representatives from Bourke, Bathurst, Cowra, Kempsey, Toomelah, Moree […]
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New Research that Builds a Pathway to Justice: Designing a Reinvestment Mechanism with Aboriginal Communities
By James Nichols A new discussion paper: “Designing a Justice Reinvestment Mechanism for New South Wales: A Discussion Paper – Practical considerations for planning a reinvestment policy mechanism“, published by Just Reinvest NSW is calling for governments and Aboriginal communities to work together to design a strong and effective policy mechanism for justice reinvestment in […]
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‘Doli Incapax’ protects children from cycle of trauma but more services and learning opportunities are needed to break the circuit
by James Nichols In June the Attorney General Michael Daley appointed the Honourable Geoffrey Bellew SC, former Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW, and Mr Jeffrey Loy APM, former Deputy Commissioner of the NSW Police Force, to conduct a review into the operation of doli incapax (that children between 10 and 14 are incapable […]
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Just Reinvest NSW 2025 Research Agenda Launched for Future Reinvestment
In 2025 a new JRNSW strategy is emerging which looks to the next iteration of placed-based, community-led and data-driven justice reinvestment – a model that proves reinvestment works; and that reinvestment of resources from the criminal justice system into communities can lead to reduced incarceration of Aboriginal people. The research agenda that will back up […]
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Just Reinvest NSW Statement on BOCSAR media release: ‘Surge in Aboriginal incarceration pushes NSW prison population to five-year high’
The custody rates released by BOCSAR today raise serious concerns about how the NSW Government is approaching its own commitments to reducing Aboriginal overincarceration and overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in the child protection system. We have seen divergent trends of sentencing between convictions (decreasing) and remand (increasing) of Aboriginal people for some time in NSW […]
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An Indigenous policy vacuum – crisis or normalised dysfunction? Geoff Scott ANTAR Election Blog
The current Indigenous policy crisis is, I think, without any doubt at its lowest point in decades. A complete rethink is required, with a positive suggestion to go forward. Where we are now The Indigenous Affairs arena has become a political play toy of governments and commentators, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike. The current policy efforts […]
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