Will the Attorney General provide the latest information on the circle sentencing program that is operating in Dubbo?
Mr BOB DEBUS: I thank the honourable member for Dubbo for his strong interest in issues of Aboriginal justice. In June I officially launched the circle sentencing program in Dubbo. The local community expressed considerable enthusiasm when we made the announcement. I am happy to report that the program is up and running with two circles now complete and a great many more to follow. Like many other regional communities, the residents of Dubbo have come to recognise that the most enduring and effective solutions to reducing rates of Aboriginal incarceration are those that are generated by Aboriginal communities themselves, solutions that raise the dignity, pride and confidence of those communities. Circle sentencing is a shining example of the power of this community-based approach. Circle sentencing is an alternative sentencing court for adult Aboriginal offenders and it involves the magistrate, the victim, the defendant, legal representatives and Aboriginal community representatives. I
