Guide to Australian Restorative Practitioners

The 2024-25 ACT Budget was announced Tuesday evening (25 June 2024). The Budget includes some additional funding for restorative justice in the ACT. The details can be found in Budget Statement D - 2024-25 Budget Statements D (act.gov.au). In summary, the Budget provides:

Funding for an additional Convenor position for 2 years (from 2024-25 to 2025-26);
Funding for an Operational Support position for 2 years (from 2024-25 to 2025-26); and
Investment in the RJU’s data management system to ensure it can maintain and meet its record-keeping and reporting obligations.

This investment recognises the additional workloads which have been experienced since the introduction of conferencing for domestic, family and sexual violence offences in 2018, and responds directly to the recommendations of the Australian Institute of Criminology in their 2023 Evaluation. It also demonstrates the ACT Government’s ongoing commitment to the Restorative Justice Scheme and to providing options for people who have been harmed by a crime.

This investment comes at a crucial time, as the Centre for Innovative Justice (CIJ) embarks on the Independent Review of the Restorative Justice Scheme and the research responding to recommendation 13 of the Listen. Take Action to Prevent, Believe and Heal Report. CIJ are planning to commence stakeholder engagement/consultation as part of their work soon, and we hope that you all will share your insights and aspirations for the Scheme as part of this process.

We will look to advertise the Convenor positions very soon, so if you are interested or know someone who is, please let me know or check the ACT Government jobs page regularly.

Kind regards,

2024-25 ACT Government Budget outcome - Strengthening RJ in the ACT