Victoria’s First Nations body breaks new ground in support of prisoners’ ‘open air’ rights

Gellung Warl, the official representative body for First Peoples in Victoria, is challenging the state government over a new legislative bill. As The Conversation reports, the body is opposing a law that would allow authorities to deny prisoners their daily hour of open-air time based on operational needs or weather. Gellung Warl argues the move is inconsistent with Treaty obligations and will disproportionately affect First Nations people, who make up fourteen percent of the state's prison population. The government now has sixty days to respond to these concerns.

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