Neighbourhood Justice Centre Smith Street Working Group Initiative

 Smith Street Dreaming

Report prepared by: Delia O’Donohue in consultation with the Smith Street Working Group and Victorian Neighbourhood Justice Centre staff. February 2014.

ContentsIntroduction 4

The Demographics 5

What Goes on in Smith Street? 7

Responses to Smith Street 7

Local Law 8 8

Current Council Approach 8

MAYSAR 10

Background to NJC Involvement in Smith Street 10

Establishment of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre Smith Street Working Group (NJCSSWG) 11

Projects and Activities 14

Live Music Project – Smith Street Dreaming Festival 15

What Happened on the day 16

Response to the Festival 17

Case Study 1: Parkies Perspective 17

Case Study 2: Police Perspective 20

Case Study 3: Trader’s Perspective 21

Case Study 4: Council Arts and Culture Development Officer Perspective 22

Issues and Challenges 22

Smith Street Working Group Processes 24

What next? 25

Evaluation Issues 25

Conclusion 27References 28

We would like to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people, the traditional owners of the land that the City of Yarra and the Neighbourhood Justice Centre rests upon.

TerminologyIn this document the term ‘Aboriginal’ refers to both Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people either in Victoria or in other parts of Australia unless otherwise stated e.g. Clan name/s or generic name i.e. Koori (VIC, NSW), Murri (QLD), Palawa (TAS), Nunga (SA), Noongar (WA), Torres Strait Islander.

The term ‘Koori community’ used throughout this document respectfully refers to the local Aboriginal community in Victoria. Within the Koori community, the NJC acknowledges there are also other Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons residing, working and gathering in the local area.

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IntroductionThe Neighbourhood Justice Centre (NJC) in Collingwood, Victoria, opened in 2007 to service the City of Yarra as part of the State Government’s A Fairer Victoria policy. It is the first neighbourhood or community justice centre in Australia, and was established to provide new and innovative ways of dealing with crime and other forms of social disorder, disadvantage, and conflict in the City of Yarra. The Centre offers a range of justice and social services, including: a Magistrate’s Court of Victoria with jurisdiction to hear all matters that the Criminal Division hears (except for sex offences) and matters involving Family Violence and Personal Safety Intervention Orders; a Children’s Court; a Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT); and a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) that deals with residential tenancy matters, guardianship matters and a range of other civil disputes.1

The Centre has a client services team that provides assessment, treatment and referral services to persons referred through the Centre’s justice processes and to residents of the City of Yarra who self-refer. In addition, a variety of justice and social service agencies have staff located at the Centre. These agencies provide services in an integrated and coordinated fashion within a framework of therapeutic jurisprudence.2 They include: mediation, legal advice, employment and housing support,

1. Ross, S., Halsey, M., Bamford, D., Cameron, N., and King, A., ‘Evaluation of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre, City of Yarra, Final Report’, (Dec, 2009), p4.

2. Victorian Department of Justice, (2010) Evaluating the Neighbourhood Justice Centre 2007-2009, Victoria p1.

financial support, drugs and alcohol counselling, family violence and victim support and mental health services.

The Centre’s Crime Prevention and Community Engagement work are core business. Through this work the Centre aims to: increase participation and confidence of the local community in the justice system; reduce criminal and other harmful behavior; improve the wellbeing of the community; tackle the underlying causes of criminal behaviour and disadvantage; and work at a local level building the capacity of the community to solve its own problems. Community engagement at the NJC includes the building of partnerships and networks, the building of trust and confidence, the facilitation of relationships between stakeholders within the community and the application of problem solving to local issues. Community engagement and collaboration are key practice principles that underpin the work of community courts.3

The City of Yarra is located immediately north-east of the Melbourne Central Business District. The municipality includes the suburbs of Abbotsford, Burnley, Clifton Hill, Collingwood, Cremorne, Fitzroy, North Carlton, North Fitzroy, Princes Hill, Richmond and parts of Alphington and Fairfield.

3. J. Lang, ‘What is a Community Court?’ (Center for Court Innovation Publication 2011) 1,3.

*D.R. Karp, ‘Community Justice: Six Challenges’, (1999) 27 (6) Journal of Community Psychology. 751, 752.

Community justice is not achieved simply by a just response to particular criminal incidents. The shift from traditional to community justice requires a change in purpose from a narrowly conceived agenda of crime control to a broadly determined mission of enhancing the quality of community life.*

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The traditional owners of the land are the Wurundjeri Aboriginal people who originally inhabited the area that is now known as Fitzroy, Richmond and Collingwood. Yarra continues to be an important meeting place for Aboriginal people in Victoria.

Since its inception, the NJC has been committed to enhancing relationships and cultural understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Yarra and has sought to

build partnerships between these groups in keeping with its crime prevention and community justice approach.

The focus of this report is on exploring, the work being undertaken by the NJC’s Crime Prevention Unit staff in partnership with key service providers and community members to address issues of concern in and around the Smith St, Collingwood area and the historical issues and challenges associated with this work. It is not a formal evaluation but a capturing of the work that has been undertaken by the NJC’s Smith Street Working Group to date, as part of the Centre’s reflective practice approach.

The DemographicsOver the past twenty-five years the population of Fitzroy and Collingwood has changed considerably. There has been an influx of young, tertiary-educated middle to high-income earners moving into the area, yet the presence of the large housing commission flats built by the state government in the 1960s in both suburbs, means that the population remains diverse. As Fitzgerald and Broad note, tensions that exist in the community are often most clearly evident in Smith Street:

Fitzroy/Collingwood has seen the development of two very different types of residential spaces. On the one hand, the replacement of slum housing with high-rise apartment developments funded and managed by the State Housing Authority, and on the other, the renovation and redevelopment of remaining houses and vacant warehouse and factory spaces by private investors and owner/occupiers. These two very different types of residential space sit side by side in a somewhat stark contrast to each other that has often been a source of tension and sometimes, conflict. This is not, however, a contemporary phenomenon…

Commentaries about the tensions in the physical and demographic environment of Fitzroy/Collingwood have changed little in the past 120 years. It is an area that socially and physically houses tension between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’. Smith Street, as a main central thoroughfare operates as a conduit for these physical and social changes. That is, people, classes and demographics move through it and out to other places. This is a key to understanding the inherent tensions in and around Smith Street, located as it is in the centre of what has always been a set of rarely harmonious, always changing, contested spaces.4

4. JL Fitzgerald, S Broad, A Brief History of Fitzroy/Collingwood in A Dare Regulating the Street Heroin Market in Fitzroy/ Collingwood, The University of Melbourne and Vic Health, 1999.

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Whilst the suburbs of Collingwood and Fitzroy have been developed on the land of the Wurundjeri people, the number of Aboriginal people living in the City of Yarra has decreased over the years. According to the 2011 Census there were 319 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Yarra.5 Yet the area remains a significant meeting place for Aboriginal people.

Those who gather in Smith Street are often referred to as the Parkies. “They are mostly Aboriginal people who have long gathered on Smith Street … Some drink, some just stop by for a chat, a song on the guitar; all are connected, call each other brother, sister, aunty, uncle. Some are stolen generation who came to Fitzroy in the 1960s and 70s to find family.”6

In an interview for the Yarra Council’s history project, Snapshots of Aboriginal Fitzroy, Archie Roach explained the importance of Fitzroy as a meeting place for Aboriginals:

...there was more to it than drinking. If people just saw it on the outside, you know, they’d just think, oh, a couple of old Koori fellows, or young Koori, couple of Koori people drinking in a pack, or whatever, vacant lot, vacant area – but it was more than that. That’s where I learned my history brother, from those areas, because all the old fellas, they knew more about me than I did, mate.

5. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012 – City of Yarra, Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan, March, 2013.

6. ABC Radio National, 360documentaries Parkie days, 2009.

The Snapshots history emphasizes that the ‘community of the Parkies’ has been vital for the maintenance of family links and for the passing on of Aboriginal stories and history. The shared body of knowledge of the “old fellas” that Roach refers to is important for confirming identity and belonging.7

In the 1970s and 1980s under federal and state labor governments many Aboriginal services were established in the area particularly in Gertrude, Brunswick and Smith Streets including: the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency, the Aboriginal Housing Board and the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service. Whilst most of these services have now moved on to other areas, Aboriginal people dislocated from their families by White Australia policies and the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families up until the late 1960’s, still return to these streets to reconnect with relatives and with their history.

While gentrification is increasing and tensions exist, the Yarra Council, many community services in the area and some residents and businesses, actively support the continued presence of the marginalized.

Kate Shaw in her essay on Gertrude St, titled ‘A Curiously Qualified Legacy of Resistance,’ makes the following observation: “The edge of the funkiest bars depends on the rawness of the street, and while this interaction may not have kept the rents of properties in the market down…. the proprietors of these venues have an interest in continuing the legacy of support for services for the marginalized.”8

7. Bunj Consultants, Snapshots of Aboriginal Fitzroy, City of Yarra, 2004.

8. Kate Shaw, The Urban Reinventors Online Journal, The Right to the City: the Entitled and the Excluded, Issue 3/09.

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What Goes On In Smith Street?It has been described as edgy and bohemian with a ratty charm but critics claim drunks are ruining the vibe at Smith Street in Collingwood. WHEN Bob Dylan visited Melbourne two years ago, he donned a tatty black beanie and spent time wandering the Smith Street strip in Collingwood. Hardly anyone noticed him. He fitted in well with the distinctive ambience of the street.

Smith Street has always been like that — attracting people from all walks of life to its seedy, gritty, grungy, cosmopolitan nature. From folk music legends to heroin addicts, Smith Street draws people in, but some of the street’s 350 businesses are fed up with an unruly element of the community they claim has been disrupting business for too long. Groups of drunks — both white and black — are said to roam the street hassling passers-by, begging for money and cigarettes and often fighting among themselves.9 The Age Newspaper, Sept 11, 2005.

There are differing views about what goes on in Smith Street. As The Age article points out, some traders have expressed serious concern about drunken and aggressive behavior on the street, and say that much of this behavior is coming from the Parkies. These traders have said they fear for their own safety, the safety of customers and the safety of the Parkies themselves. They believe that potential customers stay away from the area or don’t stay long, because of the Parkies’ behaviour.

The Parkies’ concerns include “the right to gather in a public space, a history of dispersal from meeting places, dispossession of land, disconnection from family and community through the

9. Mark Russell, Word on the Street, Enough is Enough, The Age Newspaper, September 11, 2005

Stolen Generations, structural exclusion and racism.”10

Opinion about how much the ‘anti-social behavior’ on Smith Street can rightly be attributed to the Parkies varies. While some traders have definitely felt threatened and fearful at times, there is a perception amongst some social service workers that there is a tendency for the traders to blame the Parkies for everything that is wrong and that crime data does not support this view.

In the early days it was always the Parkies who were accused of every crime but there was no data to support this. Wherever there is an Aboriginal mob they will be targeted because of substance abuse, chronic brain injuries and homelessness (and this has all been caused through the impact of the Stolen Generations). Social Service employee, September 2013.

The City of Yarra, and in particular Collingwood, has one of the highest crime rates in Victoria but the police attribute this mostly to the large number of illicit drug users who go to Collingwood and Abbotsford to buy, and the areas popularity with “late-night revelers”.11

Responses to Smith StreetOver the years there have been many attempts to address the issue of ‘anti-social behavior’ in Smith Street. In 2004 a Street Peoples Committee was formed which consisted of representatives from Council, Police, the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, North Yarra Community Health, and HomeGround (no residents or businesses).

The Committee lobbied for outreach positions to connect with services.

10. City of Yarra, Ordinary Meeting of Council Agenda, April 23rd, 2013, p30.11. Reid Sexton, Inner Melbourne Worst for Crime, The Age Newspaper, September 21, 2011

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Two positions were created with state government funding initially going to HomeGround, but later being transferred to the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS). However, there were occupational health and safety issues and funding was not sustained.

In 2006 the Street People Committee drafted a paper Strengthening the Aboriginal Community in Smith St, Collingwood, A Service Model. It proposed to “address harmful levels of drinking and the impact this has on the Aboriginal community” through the following three key components:

1. Sobering Up Facility, to accommodate severely intoxicated persons and to monitor health and well-being whilst they sober up, to refer to other services and to divert intoxicated persons from the public hospital and justice systems;

2. Community Cultural Centre, a gathering place that is run by local Aboriginal people, that provides opportunities to meet and connect, to experience culture and to provide pathways out of poverty, harmful alcohol consumption and other disadvantage; and

3. Mobile Assistance Patrol, to provide a means of transporting persons who are intoxicated to an appropriate place that ensures they will not harm themselves or others. (A pilot of this model had recently been funded by Department of Justice).12

The Street People’s Committee supported an approach that sought to engage the Aboriginal community in positive activities other than drinking or referral to support services. They argued that a holistic approach is required rather than putting into place a single local

12. City of Yarra, Discussion Paper, Strengthening the Aboriginal Community in Smith St, Collingwood, A Service Model, 2006.

law or Dry Area. However, no funding eventuated for these proposals from any level of government.

Local Law 8Despite the Street People’s Committee’s preference for a holistic approach to addressing the issue of problem drinking on Smith St, Yarra Council introduced Local Law 8 banning alcohol consumption in public areas in the municipality in 2009. This law came into effect after active and persistent lobbying by some traders in the area and some State politicians.

The Council stated that the law was introduced to “help curb alcohol-related violence and self-harm, particularly in Yarra’s many entertainment precincts,” however, most people seem to agree that Local Law 8 was introduced to address traders’ concerns about the Parkies.

Interestingly, one observer reflecting on the introduction of the drinking ban, stated that the Parkies were in fact the only ones who complied with the law when it was first introduced:

When Local Law 8 was first introduced, the Parkies came to Richmond. The move made things worse for some of them – they had greater access to harder drugs and were more susceptible to violence. Things that were out in the open in Smith Street, were hidden in laneways in Richmond. But after a while the Parkies realized the police weren’t going to do anything and slipped back to the Smith Street area. The law was an appeasement to businesses.

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Colin Hunter, Senior Koori Elder and Community Planner from the City of Yarra and member of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre Smith Street Working Group (NJC SSWG), believes that Local Law 8 had some positive impacts including reduced drinking and improved health outcomes within the Aboriginal community. However, he stated that it put a lot of pressure on people’s housing tenure with groups gathering to drink at home and this led to more overcrowding and violence in Office of Housing properties which then puts tenancies at further risk.13

Another observer stated that one positive outcome from the introduction of Local Law 8 was that Aboriginal people became much more actively involved in council processes as they recognized it as a racist law.

An evaluation undertaken by Turning Point in 2010 found that the law had a negative impact on the Parkies because it resulted in the dispersion of their social group into smaller groups. This made it difficult for Aboriginal people to catch up with each other, to share news with one another and for visiting family and friends to locate relatives, as they were no longer found at their traditional meeting place. Health and welfare workers also found this dispersion made it more difficult for them to locate their clients, and that this resulted in the delivery of less health and welfare support to the community.”14

A later evaluation undertaken by Capire Consulting Group in 2011 found that police were applying Local Law 8 in a “targeted and discretionary fashion.” The law was rarely being enforced. The Parkies had moved back to meeting in Smith Street.

13. North Central Metro PCP, HACC and Homelessness in Yarra Newsletter, Issue 5, June 2010.

14. Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Evaluating the Impacts of Local Law 8 in the City of Yarra, Sept 2010.

Current Council Approach In September 2009 Yarra Council endorsed the Smith Street Community Plan 2009-1315 which had been developed in consultation with representatives from Aboriginal organisations, the broader Aboriginal community including the Parkies, community agencies and organisations, State and Federal Government, Victoria Police, local businesses and the local community. The plan identified a number of strategies for the community to work on, centred around five key themes: Community Belonging and Strengthening, Health And Wellbeing, Sustainability, Arts and Culture, Image and Amenity.

In the plan and all documentation pertaining to Smith Street, Council acknowledges the historical importance of the Street and the surrounding area to the Aboriginal community and the need to support and maintain diversity and respect for Aboriginal cultural connections.

Some of the activities Council has funded to support this plan include:

• North Yarra Community Health’s weekly Billabong BBQ

• HomeGround’s Indigenous Recreation Program

• Aboriginal Engagement program

Other activities include:

• Aboriginal History walk

• Stories Around the Fire event and Wurundjeri history project

• Celebrating Aboriginal Culture Facebook page

• Council support of shop local campaign

15. City of Yarra, Smith Street Community Plan, Framework for Action, Yarra City Council, 2009.

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• Streetscape and amenity improvements

• Council support of Smith Street Dreaming festival

• Wurundjeri Protocols publication

However, the centerpiece of the Smith Street Community Plan 2009-2013 was Council’s funding of the Melbourne Aboriginal Youth Sport and Recreation Centre (MAYSAR).

MAYSARThe MAYSAR gym has been a place of support for Aboriginal people for many years. Council funding was going to be used to extend the range of activities offered in the gym and provide the Parkies with a culturally appropriate community space. The Neighbourhood Justice Centre also supported this project by contributing funds to the Centre for a Business Manager.

In 2012-13 budget, Council committed to providing a further three years funding for the gym but these funds have not yet been released as MAYSAR closed earlier this year due to internal governance issues. Council offered assistance to MAYSAR in relation to a re-structure, however this has not been accepted.

In the final year of the community plan, two new initiatives have been adopted: the establishment of a Yarra All of Government Drug and Alcohol Strategy group to work with the Department of Health, Department of Justice and local service providers to address issues arising from daytime drinking, particularly around Smith Street. Council has adopted this approach as it attributes the primary responsibility and capacity to respond to alcohol addiction is within the realm of State Government.16

16. City of Yarra, Ordinary Meeting of Council Minutes, 21 February 2012, Attachment 2 Smith Street Community Plan 2009-2013 Harm Reduction Strategy

Secondly, the idea of a Smith Street liaison role is being explored by Council with responsibilities involving initiating and maintaining regular and independent contact with the Parkies, traders, residents and other groups. The proposal envisages that the role will be “a proactive” one rather than a crisis management one; and that this will potentially result in better outcomes for the Smith Street community. 17

The Street Peoples Committee has now morphed into the Yarra Aboriginal Support Network (YASN) which council convenes monthly. The Council states that the focus of these meetings is on: services, access, information sharing and joint advocacy.

Background to Neighbourhood Justice Centre Involvement in Smith StreetAs noted in the introduction, since its inception the NJC has been committed to enhancing relationships and cultural understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Yarra and developing a more culturally competent justice system. Some of the strategies that have been implemented include: employment of two Koori Justice Workers to provide cultural and spiritual comfort to Aboriginal people attending court and case management services where needed monthly Aboriginal Hearing Days at the Court with the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and other Aboriginal support services in attendance;

employment of two crime prevention staff engaging with the local community to help improve community relationships.

There is substantial evidence that Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander people are over-represented in the criminal justice system. Judge Stephen

17. City of Yarra, Ordinary Meeting of Council Agenda, April 23rd, 2013.

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Norrish in a recent conference paper noted:

Between 2002 and 2012, imprisonment rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians increased from 1,262 to 1,914 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. In comparison, the rate for non-Indigenous prisoners increased from 123 to 129 per 100,000 adult non-Indigenous population.18

In examining factors affecting crime rates in Indigenous communities, Norrish quoted from The Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning (University of Technology Sydney) Community Report19, which found that the primary causes of ‘adult crimes’ in indigenous communities were:

1. alcohol and drugs,

2. unemployment and lack of purposeful activity,

3. intra communal conflict,

4. the impact of historical racism and dispossession,

5. lack of adequate housing and overcrowding,

6. police/community relationships and over policing.

Mick Gooda, Federal Social Justice Commissioner, noted in his Social Justice Report 2009, “the bottom line is that you put an individual offender through the best resourced, most effective rehabilitation program, but if they are

18. Judge Stephen Norrish, QC, Are Indigenous People Likely To Receive Greater Penalties Than Non-Indigenous People In The Courts? What Should Be Done About It? A paper for the AIJA ‘Indigenous Justice Conference’-‘Current Issues in Delivering Indigenous Justice-Challenges for the Courts’ 18-19 July 2013- Adelaide

19. Alison Vivian and Eloise Schnierer, Factors affecting crime rates in Indigenous communities in NSW: a pilot study in Bourke and Lightning Ridge, COMMUNITY REPORT Research Unit Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology Sydney, November 2010.

returning to a community with few opportunities, their chances of staying out of prison are limited.”

The above findings highlight the importance of a community justice approach to working with indigenous communities. Whilst such an approach can’t address the structural issues underpinning the over-representation of Aboriginals in the prison system, it can address issues of intra communal conflict, racism, and police/community relationships. This is precisely the work that the NJC has been aiming to do through its Smith Street Working Group.

Establishment of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre Smith Street Working Group (NJCSSWG)The NJC crime prevention staff state that the Centre’s crime prevention work is guided by standards set out in the United Nations Handbook on Crime Prevention, that emphasize: the importance of the rule of law and respecting human rights; of the social and economic inclusion of all populations, whatever their status or background; and the importance of ensuring that the particular needs of vulnerable communities are taken into account. The Handbook stresses that crime prevention action should focus on local communities, and that it should be conducted through partnerships across government sectors and civil society and with the participation of communities. It should be sustained and accountable, rather than short term; and based on sound evidence based practice20. Crime prevention staff add that their work is about building a humane society and employing more cost effective approaches to dealing with crime that

20. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime, Handbook on the Crime Prevention Guidelines, Making them work, UNODC, New York, 2010.

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empower and connect individuals to their communities.

In 2012, the Senior NJC Crime Prevention Project Manager witnessed a few interactions between police and Aboriginal community members that made him concerned about the treatment of these members by local police in and around Smith Street. This concern increased after the Manager witnessed the arrest of three Aboriginals in a way that he felt was heavy-handed and lacking in cultural understanding. The interaction highlighted the lack of trust and respect between the local police and the Aboriginal community and also the tensions between the Aboriginal community on Smith Street and the traders. These concerns were raised with the Director of the NJC and the local Police Inspector, who both concurred with the need to try and help build a better and closer relationship between the local Aboriginal community, the traders and the police.

Accordingly, in 2012 the Manager set about establishing a committee to try to address some of the problems facing the different communities on Smith Street. At this time there were ongoing reports from traders about threatening behavior by some Parkies. For some traders, the impact of these behaviours was at crisis point, with call outs to police to attend in Smith Street averaging from six to ten times per day. In addition, the Smith Street Business Association was concerned that trade in the area was slow, that shops were not doing well and some of the blame for this was being attributed to the behavior of some of the Parkies.

The Manager states that he recognised from the start the importance of working with all the key stakeholders. The aim was to build strong, respectful and understanding relationships between each of them. To do this, the NJC staff

took on an initiating and facilitating role, trying to understand the perspectives of all stakeholders but not taking sides with one group or another.

The recruitment process took time with the NJC crime prevention staff having to build relationships with each Working Group member individually before approaching them about joining the group. Slowly key representatives from the Aboriginal community (in particular leaders and Elders), police, support services and finally traders were invited to come together and discuss their concerns about living, working and connecting in the Smith Street area and so the Smith Street Working Group was formed.

Building successful relationships takes time and the NJC began building relationships with each of the stakeholders in parallel before bringing them together at the working group. Often, the NJC visited with each stakeholder and worked on other projects important to each of the stakeholders. The NJC led the building of each of these relationships through role modelling, and at all time placing particular emphasis on a ‘no vested’ interest outcome for all stakeholders. In this way, each of the stakeholders developed trust with each other, and were then able to develop an agenda that suited everyone. This was a very important practice because it promoted trust, confidence and ownership in any solutions proposed. The NJC’s ability to facilitate these relationships has been the core strength that supports the working group as it moves towards implementing solutions. Hieng Lim and Maree Foelz, NJC, 2013

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The membership of the Working Group has evolved over time but has mainly consisted of the following representatives:

• Hieng Lim, Senior Project Manager Crime Prevention, NJC.

• Maree Foelz, Project Officer Crime Prevention, NJC

• Margaret White Volunteer Project Officer, NJC.

• James Fraser, Senior Koori Justice Worker, NJC

• John Brown, Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer, Victoria Police.

• Michael Honeysett, Aboriginal Outreach Worker from Turning Point.

• Bo Barney, North Yarra Community Health Centre Outreach Worker.

• Peter Beckers, Senior Sergeant Victoria Police, Collingwood.

• Brian Buckley, Senior Sergeant, Victoria Police, Fitzroy.

• Troy Austin, Dept of Justice, Executive Officer, Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee.

• Di Harris, Vice President of the Smith Street Business Association.

• Colin Hunter, Senior Koori Elder and Community Planner, City of Yarra.

• Kirsty Baird, Arts and Culture Co-ordinator, City of Yarra.

• Ngarra Murray, Billabong Co-ordinator, North Yarra Community Health

• Luke Sultan, North Yarra Community Health

• Meg Dale, Salvation Army Chaplain, NJC support worker, and resident of Smith Street.

The overall aim of the Working Group is for the different sectors of the community to achieve a peaceable coexistence, of mutual respect that celebrates culture, art and community.

The two guiding principles established by the group for the 2012/13 period were:

• building a positive image of Smith Street and

• building good relationships between those who reside, trade in and use Smith Street.

The key questions formulated by the group from these principles were:

• How can we make Smith Street positive for the Aboriginal Communities, the traders, and the general community?

• How can we get everyone to better understand each other and have a peaceable co-existence with each other in Smith Street?

• How can we make Smith Street a more positive place for everyone?

In the group’s documentation it stated that the committee recognised that Smith Street presents with a complex mix of issues including:

• Public drinking

• Safety

• Anti Social Behaviour

• Law and order

• Culture

• Trade

• Amenities

• Economics

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Projects and Activities:The working group identified a number of projects they wanted to pursue during the 2012/13 period including:

Mentoring of traders – assist the Smith Street Traders Association to implement a mentoring program for new traders.

Smith St Beautification – clean up graffiti on the street through reduction of tagging and promote Aboriginal Culture through the Arts.

Celebrate Diversity and Culture – assist in planning Koori night markets and through art and culture attract economic traffic to Smith Street so there is a positive impact for traders.

Walk in our Shoes Project – aims to have police, traders and members of the local Aboriginal community walk in each other’s shoes for a day and share their culture and concerns. Together they would walk the Fitzroy Aboriginal Heritage Walking Trail.21

Increase Sensitivity to Diversity and Culture within Justice Agencies – develop a cultural awareness leaflet and a referral card and induction training for police in the City of Yarra.

Live Music – to put on a live music event in Smith Street with an Aboriginal focus in 2013 – “The Smith Street Dreaming”.

21. City of Yarra, Fitzroy Aboriginal Heritage Walking Trail, http://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Services/Community-Planning/aboriginal-services/Aboriginal-History-Walk/, 2009.

The Working Group, including the senior police and Koori elder members, discussed ways to improve the relationship between the Aboriginal community and police in the area. They developed a Cultural Awareness Leaflet for all police in the City of Yarra that provides advice on Aboriginal culture and effective communication skills for engaging with Aboriginal people. The leaflet covers topics including:

• Communicating with Koori People (issues with eye contact, listening behaviour etc)

• Men’s Business and Women’s Business

• Kinship Family Structure

• Significant Places within Yarra

• Time and Punctuality

• Death and Funerals

The committee also intends to develop a quick access referral flip-card that will be given to all new police in Yarra at induction.

It was decided Yarra Police will also invite Aboriginal Elders and Koori Justice Workers to brief members at induction days and John Brown, the local Aboriginal Liaison Officer from Victoria Police and a member of the working group, will facilitate this.

This work fits with Recommendation 96 in the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, which states:

SMITH STREET DREAMING

SATURDAY 20th JULY, 1pm - 5pm

FREE BBQ . CHEAP COFFEE . CEREMONIAL FIRE AND SPECIAL GUESTS

ARTISTS TALK ON STAGE AT 1pm . MUSIC FROM 2pm - 5pm . THIS IS AN ALCOHOL FREE EVENT

Cnr Stanley and Smith Streets, Collingwood

LEAPSANDBOUNDSMUSICFESTIVAL.COM

Council acknowledges the Wurundjeri as the first owners of this country. Today, they are still the custodians of the cultural heritage of this land.

Further to this, Council acknowledges there are other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have lived, worked and contributed to the cultural heritage of Yarra.

Artwork by Dianne Harris and Ngarra Murray

BART

WILL

OUGHBY AND BAND THE KUTCHA EDWARDS BAND

ILLANA ATKINSON AND THE DEANS

proudly supported by

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That judicial officers and persons who work in the court service and in the probation and parole services and whose duties bring them into contact with Aboriginal people be encouraged to participate in an appropriate training and development program designed to explain contemporary Aboriginal society, customs and traditions. Such programs should emphasise the historical and social factors which contribute to the disadvantaged positions of many Aboriginal people today and to the nature of relations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities today. The Commission further recommends that such persons should wherever possible participate in discussion with members of the Aboriginal community in an informal way in order to improve cross-cultural understanding.”22

The beautification of Smith Street is a longer-term project and the Smith Street Working group is liaising with the City of Yarra on ways to reduce graffiti and identification of potential mural sites for Aboriginal art. Responsibility for the Koori Night Markets has gone to Songlines and The Walk in Our Shoes project is still being considered for implementation in 2014.

The final project listed above, the staging of a live music event, consumed most of the Working Group’s time and attention in 2013.

Live Music Project – Smith Street Dreaming FestivalThe arts can elevate a person’s sense of self-worth and value to their community. The potency of the creative process acts as a great equaliser. These effects transfer to other contexts, such

22. Johnston E 1991. Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody National Report, Vol 5. Canberra: AGPS. www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/IndigLRes/rciadic/

as all aspects of daily life, family, work and cultural activities, which may make a social and economic contribution.23

The project that chiefly occupied the Smith Street Working Group’s focus in 2013 was the planning and staging of a music festival to celebrate Koori music and culture, build empathy, understanding and respect and to generate economic activity in the street. It was decided to stage the event as part of the City of Yarra’s Leaps and Bounds musical festival that was due to be held in July.

The Working Group decided to name the event Smith Street Dreaming, as suggested by Luke Sultan, an Access team member from North Yarra Community Health (now CoHealth) drawing on themes from Aboriginal cultural heritage and the groups shared vision of Smith Street becoming a vibrant cultural centre. Ngarra Murray, an Aboriginal Artist from the Access team at North Yarra

23. Joubert, L in VicHealth, Evaluation of the Community Arts Development Scheme, Final Report, 2009.

SMITH STREET DREAMINGSATURDAY 20th JULY, 1pm - 5pm

FREE BBQ . CHEAP COFFEE . CEREMONIAL FIRE AND SPECIAL GUESTSARTISTS TALK ON STAGE AT 1pm . MUSIC FROM 2pm - 5pm . THIS IS AN ALCOHOL FREE EVENT

Cnr Stanley and Smith Streets, CollingwoodLEAPSANDBOUNDSMUSICFESTIVAL.COM

Council acknowledges the Wurundjeri as the first owners of this country. Today, they are still the custodians of the cultural heritage of this land. Further to this, Council acknowledges there are other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have lived, worked and contributed to the cultural heritage of Yarra.

Artwork by Dianne Harris and Ngarra Murray

BART

WIL

LOUG

HBY A

ND BAND THE KUTCHA EDWARDS BAND

ILLANA ATKINSON AND THE DEANS

proudly supported by

SMITH STREET DREAMING

SATURDAY 20th JULY, 1pm - 5pm

FREE BBQ . CHEAP COFFEE . CEREMONIAL FIRE AND SPECIAL GUESTS

ARTISTS TALK ON STAGE AT 1pm . MUSIC FROM 2pm - 5pm . THIS IS AN ALCOHOL FREE EVENT

Cnr Stanley and Smith Streets, Collingwood

LEAPSANDBOUNDSMUSICFESTIVAL.COM

Council acknowledges the Wurundjeri as the first owners of this country. Today, they are still the custodians of the cultural heritage of this land.

Further to this, Council acknowledges there are other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have lived, worked and contributed to the cultural heritage of Yarra.

Artwork by Dianne Harris and Ngarra Murray

BART

WILL

OUGHBY AND BAND THE KUTCHA EDWARDS BAND

ILLANA ATKINSON AND THE DEANS

proudly supported by

16

Community Health, local business owner and graphic designer Di Harris and Senior Sergeant Peter Beckers from Victoria Police collaborated on the design of a poster for the festival. The Smith Street branding and logo design included a full colour promotional postcard designed by Di Harris.

The group decided the location for the event would be the corner of Smith and Stanley Streets as it has long been a meeting place for Aboriginal people. The group promoted the event through local radio stations, print media including the Koori Mail (a national indigenous newspaper), The Northsider (a local Yarra newspaper), Department of Justice news, social media and through posters and postcards displayed in the shops along Smith Street and surrounding areas.

Here Studio were engaged to design the streetscape and worked with members of the committee on the landscape project. Recycled materials were used to transform the street, intimate spaces were constructed that encouraged a friendly atmosphere and a sense of connectedness. Seating, heating, and wet weather cover with artistic buttressing and a ceremonial fire and free BBQ were arranged. A green room was set up in Masak Masak restaurant on Smith Street.

After much debate it was decided that the event should be alcohol-free. John Brown, Aboriginal Liaison Officer, Victoria Police had advocated strongly for this position. Elders on the committee and in the community were asked to spread the word that there should be no drinking at the festival. The festival was to be welcoming to all and family friendly. The program was advertised across the whole of Victoria, but particularly in City of Yarra.

What Happened on the day: Programming, and artist liaison for Smith Street Dreaming was managed by Jason Tamiru, in consultation with Kirsty Baird, Community Arts Officer, City of Yarra and Smith Street Dreaming Producer, and Mary Mihelakos, Programmer for the Leaps and Bounds Music Festival.

Jason, who has strong links with the Aboriginal music scene, chose artists who had strong connections to Fitzroy and Collingwood, and that female artists were part of the line up.

The 2013 festival had a strong ‘rock’ feel and despite the torrential rain, the event was upbeat and compelling. The following year’s festival had a wider diversity of music, and attracted a bigger crowd with many people telling the crew they were so impressed with the first festival they came to the second.

The Jindi Worabak dancers are an integral part of the program, and represent traditional custodians of the land, the Wurundjeri, and we hope the troupe remains a key feature of future events.

In keeping with the spirit of community, each festival has included a Welcome to Country, and ceremonial fire, the crew wear branded t-shirts and badges, and we decorated the venue with hand-made seating and decorations. We also include free tea and coffee, and a barbeque.

In future events we hope to feature emerging Aboriginal artists, as well as artists who celebrate the strong ties they have with Collingwood and Fitzroy in their music.

 

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Unfortunately it rained heavily on the day and key committee members debated whether to proceed with the event but in the end decided to go ahead. Despite the bad weather, approximately 500 people attended the festival throughout the afternoon. Aboriginal people came in from all over the state and were joined by both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal locals, including residents and traders.

Victoria Police Officers attended – most in plain clothes because there was agreement by all members of the committee that like everyone else, police would be participants in celebration and that appearing in casual clothes would better demonstrate an act of friendship and trust. A Welcome to Country Ceremony was performed by Wurundjeri Elder, Uncle Colin Hunter and VIP speakers included local the Mayor of the City of Yarra, Jacky Fristacky, NJC Magistrate David Fanning, and Richard Wynne, the state member for Richmond. This was followed by the Jindi Woraback traditional dancers. The MC for the event was Jason Tamiru.

Response to the Festival:Two debriefing sessions have been held by the Smith Street Working Group members to gather their reactions to the festival, and to give the members opportunities to reflect on the planning and implementation process. At the second session a number of staff from Yarra Council were also in attendance as well as the Director of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre.

Verbal feedback was also sought from members of the community including Parkies and traders. In addition the Smith Street Business Association and a trader have provided letters of commendation to the Working Group.

Overall the response to the event has been very positive as the case studies and quotes below demonstrate.

Case Study 1: Parkies Perspective Tracey was a Volunteer/Marshall at the Smith Street Dreaming Festival. She was invited to take on this role by workers who attend the Billabong BBQ. The role involved making people feel welcome and safe on the day. She lives in the Collingwood housing commission flats and identifies herself as a Parkie. When asked what she thought of the festival, Tracy stated:

“The festival was great, fantastic. We need more of them. It was great to get the community together, the Koori mob with the rest. People came in from all over. It has helped relationships on Smith Street. The shop people wave to us now, instead of ignoring us. The festival showed our people in a good way, we’re not just hopeless people with problems.”

Volunteer Tracey Briggs with Elder Frank Wandin

 

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“The Smith Street Dreaming was a unique and moving experience. As a councillor whose ward takes in Smith Street, and a member of Yarra’s Aboriginal Advisory Group, I have been keen to see a way to integrate all the social and cultural elements which make up Smith Street’s identity. Smith Street Dreaming did just that. The team behind the festival demonstrated the enormous power of community collaboration, goodwill and mutual respect, and delivered a festival that (despite the constant rain) inspired and elevated all those who participated. It exposed the soul of Smith Street, which was something very special. I look forward to the evolution of what the festival has begun.” Councillor Amanda Stone, City of Yarra.

“I wasn’t involved in organising the festival but I attended along with some of my staff. It was a great day, got a lot of people on the street. This area is of great importance to the Aboriginal people, it’s part of their culture and putting on the festival showed that people want to give back to them too. Festivals like this are of great benefit, they bring the community together.” Julian, Manager, Bank of Melbourne, Smith Street, Collingwood.

“Very welcoming atmosphere. No tickets. Anyone could just stop by and join in.” Siu Chan, Co-ordinator, Yarra Council Arts and Cultural Services

“The feedback from the Aboriginal community has been very positive – it was their art, their music, it was held where they belong.” James Fraser, Senior Koori Justice Worker

“Masak Masak was so glad to be the official Green Room for Smith Street Dreaming music festival so as to show our love and support to the community. Despite the rainy and freezing weather, everyone had fun in the party and enjoyed the food in Masak Masak!”Smith Street Dreaming Festival Facebook page by Masak Masak, July 19th 2013.

“A fantastic day for the community, respectful in every way.” Magistrate David Fanning, NJC.

“I cannot emphasise enough how important continuing to put on these festivals is to the well-being, pride and sense of belonging of our surrounding community, businesses and visitors alike. I believe the Smith Street Dreaming festival has positioned us to become a destination experience for all Melburnians, national, and international tourism. It breathes new life into our area and is able to showcase our rich Indigenous culture, talented musicians, designers and artists attracting increased interest and foot traffic to help our Smith Street Retail precinct thrive for years to come.”Letter from John Restuccia, JR Hair Dressing, Smith Street

“Key was the coming together of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. Usually when you run a festival like this you get one or the other. We were showcasing Aboriginal music and the quality of musicianship was just so good.” Kirsty Baird, Arts and Culture Development Officer, City of Yarra

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“From our Smith Street Business Association perspective, the festival was a great success. On the media front, the coverage was highly effective, commenting on the positive vibes of the festival, profiling prominent headlining musical groups, highlighting the mission of the Smith Street Working Group and describing the “Hip to Heritage” feel Smith Street has to offer.” Excerpt from Smith Street Business Association letter

“Loved it.” Michael Honeysett, Aboriginal Outreach Worker Turning Point

“Smith Street Dreaming is just the beginning of what we want to do in this area. We need to keep the history and culture alive in this area. The more apartments and development that go up in the area, slowly the indigenous community will be pushed out. So we want to make a mark and make sure our histories are told forever and a day. Today’s a fantastic day. Little kids being able to see cultural dancing, being able to hear some of our music and hear some of our histories and the stories that people like Kutcha Edwards have told today.” Troy Austin, Department of Justice, Aboriginal Advisory Council

“Smith Street Dreaming was a fantastic event which helped build better relationships between the various communities that visit, live, work and gather on and around Smith Street! I also embrace the opportunity to learn from being part of the Smith Street Working Group.” Maree Foelz, Project Officer, NJC

“So often justice is on about punishing people, this shows things can be done differently.” Kerry Walker, Director, NJC.

“Together we created a lived relationship around the table, then took it out to the street.”Hieng Lim, Senior Project Manager, Crime Prevention, NJC

A pictorial review of people’s impressions of the festival and photographs and film from the day have been collated on video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-DfbfOMfN0) and through digital story-telling (facebook.com/NJCSSWG).

Senior Council staff have stated that they would welcome a request for funding for a repeat of the festival next year. The Smith Street Business Association have stated that the festival contributed to an increase in visitor footfall and patronage and less crime on the street since the festival. The Association would like to see the festival become an ongoing community initiative.

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Case Study 2: Police PerspectivePeter Beckers is Senior Sergeant at Collingwood Police Station. He came to Collingwood in May 2011 and started to get to know the locals and the issues. He met Hieng Lim and Di Harris at a public meeting and joined with them to start the Smith Street Working Group. He says the broad representation on the group with people from diverse services and diverse cultural backgrounds means it’s a rich tapestry.

“It works, it captures everyone and creates ripples in the pond. The group has a holistic approach; we get together and really talk – honesty, plain English, no one steps on each other’s toes. It builds partnerships, cohesion and pride in our work.”

“Everyone in the group has taught me a lot. One of the Aboriginal group members keeps telling me “You don’t have to walk on eggshells Peter.” And that’s what it’s like – open communication.”

He thought the Smith Street dreaming festival was “fantastic, really enjoyable. Two years ago I would never have stood there in plain clothes talking to an Aboriginal.”

When asked why most of his officers were there in plain clothes he said: “I didn’t want my members to go there as security. I wanted the barriers broken down so we were seen as human beings, mingling at the same level, not a standoffish approach, but here we are exactly the same as you. Most locals know who we are so it was good for them to see us there, mixing with them.”

“The impact of the festival has been amazing. Things have quietened down around Stanley and Moore Streets. It’s had a ripple effect. There’s real community engagement now. Police are seen as more human and my officers get out there and talk now to the Aboriginals instead of just directing them.

They make conversation with them. There’s an attitude now from everyone of let’s embrace the Aboriginal peoples’ knowledge and expertise and let’s reap the rewards.

My officers are out there talking to everyone on the street, engaging the whole community on a regular basis.”

Senior Sergeant Peter Beckers, right, with Lenny, local Parkie.

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Case Study 3: Trader’s PerspectiveDi Harris and her partner Matt owned the eclectic Boutique, Oonkas Boonkas, in Smith Street, Collingwood, taking up a shop lease there in 2011. Di says their reception in Smith Street was mixed. She found some of the Aboriginal people who regularly meet in the street close to her shop hostile and threatening and found the level of drinking concerning. She says her shop was targeted daily for 8 months, and that on one occasion she was assaulted and that she had to close the shop for five days because she felt “terrorised”.

Di stood up in a public meeting and talked about the issue of responsible alcohol use stating she was deeply concerned about the drunken and anti-social behaviour of some people on the street.

It was at this meeting that she met the crime prevention workers from the Neighbourhood Justice Centre. They invited her to join the Smith Street Working Group where she had the opportunity to express her concerns, meet with key elders from the Aboriginal community and police and corrections representatives and work jointly to try and improve relationships and safety on the street.

Di actively assisted in the planning and implementation of the Smith Street Dreaming Festival, developing the branding and logo design for the festival and doing media interviews to promote the event. She distributed posters and postcards along the street and encouraged other traders and customers to get involved. She was involved in discussions about strategies for increasing the level of understanding amongst local police about the significance of the area to the aboriginal people and how police could engage with members of the community in less intimidating ways.

Di says that she was given a lot of support as a result of connecting with the Neighbourhood Justice Centre. The workers from the Centre would drop in regularly to check how she was going. The police increased their presence on the street. She has learnt a lot about Aboriginal history and culture and about the Aboriginal people’s connection to the area from being a member of the Working Group.

She says the Smith Street Dreaming Festival had “a good energy” and subsequently the mood on the street has changed markedly for the better. On the part of the traders there is more encouragement to do more of this sort of activity that showcases Aboriginal culture in a positive light and also brings more people into the area.

Di also reports that the Aboriginal people, who gather on the street regularly, began to treat her differently after the festival. “The hostility and alcohol is diminished now we have been able to form relationships, getting to know each other and have become a part of each other’s communities. We look out for each other now and know each other by name, being able to consult with each other to problem solve and help the younger generation by using the network of relationships built. Alcohol consumption and anti-social behaviour on the street have markedly reduced. Police were called up to ten times a day, now very rarely are they called to incidences.”

Dianne Harris with John Brown, Aboriginal Liaison Officer, Victoria Police and Troy Austin, Department of Justice, Aboriginal Advisory Council

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Case Study 4: Council Arts and Culture Development Officer PerspectiveKirsty Baird, Arts and Culture Development Officer from the City of Yarra was invited to join the Smith Street Working Group in October 2012 to assist in the planning and implementation of the music festival.

Kirsty brought with her years of expertise in managing arts based projects and an understanding of the complex relationships that exist in and around Smith Street. She was impressed that there were as many Aboriginal people as non-Aboriginal people on the working group and engaged an Aboriginal co-producer Jason Tamiru to help organise the festival and to MC the event. Both factors she says were integral to the success of the festival.

Reflecting on the underlying goals of the project to improve community relations and cultural understanding in the area, Kirsty commented: “How do you do that sort of social engineering without being disingenuous? The steering group with its strong representation of Aboriginal people was fundamental to that. In order to achieve authenticity you need a steering group like the Smith Street Working Group.”

Issues and ChallengesThere have been many challenges experienced in the establishment of the Smith Street Working Group. Crime prevention staff report that one of the major challenges in the beginning phase was the “poor relationship” between the key stakeholders – the police, the Aboriginal community and the shop traders. The stakeholders tended to see themselves as “holding a particular role with limited responsibilities” and limited ability to bring about change: “the police tended to believe their role was limited to responding to law and order and enforcement issues, leading to a ‘my job is to stop people from breaking the law and to move them on and stop them causing trouble’; traders believed their right to make a living and trade peacefully was being violated; and the Aboriginal community believed they were being labelled and racially vilified.”

These groups with disparate interests have lived in an environment of conflict over many years that has bred distrust and a state of ‘us versus them’. Many of the strategies trialled by various tiers of government had only limited success in effecting change and some strategies were perceived as inappropriately imposed short term solutions that failed to take into account the needs of everyone in the community. It was clear that over time, the conflicts remained and the interactions between the many different players had not changed. Hieng Lim, Senior Project Manager, Crime Prevention, NJC, January 2014.

Kirsty Baird and Jason Tamiru with Hieng Lim, NJC Crime Prevention Senior Project Manager, Maree Foelz, Crime Prevention Project Officer, and Here Studio staff.

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The following comments from one of the Working Group members highlights the depth of frustration caused by the tensions on the street:

My family and I often come to Smith Street, including my mum when she comes down from NSW for visits. We don’t cause any trouble but we are often targeted as trouble – makers just because we are Dark skinned and in Smith Street. Just because we are Dark skinned, doesn’t mean we are selling drugs or getting drunk or abusing white people. Mick Honeysett, Drug and Alcohol Worker, Turning Point, 2012

Maggie White, an NJC volunteer and working group member observed that the facilitator, the Senior NJC Crime Prevention Project Manager, did a lot of work with individuals to get them to the table. “The first meeting was very confrontational but the group has now evolved and there is much more of a can-do attitude.” Through listening, talking and planning together the group members have gained an understanding of each other’s values and priorities and with the success of the festival now feel motivated to take on more work.

The staging of the festival itself was a huge organisational task that required a lot of time and input from Working Group members, in particular Kirsty Baird from the Council. The Smith Street Working Group have identified a number of issues for consideration if the Group decides to organise another Smith Street Dreaming including:

• timing: should the event be held in summer rather than winter to try to ensure better weather; or should it occur during NAIDOC week as it would fit well and it may be possible to access NAIDOC funding; or should it stay as part of the Yarra Council’s broader Leaps and Bounds festival?

• more detailed briefing to be given to the artists about the aims and objectives of the event and to staff at the beginning of the day to ensure everyone is clear about their role, responsibilities and security;

• no after–party?

• while the location worked well, would it work so well if there were a lot more people.

Keeping group momentum is also a key challenge. As noted earlier, attendance at the Working Group meetings can fluctuate due to members other commitments. The festival gave the members a clear focus and task to work on, and the identification of clear goals and tasks will be important to sustain continued commitment into the future.

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Smith Street Working Group ProcessesInitially the Working Group met on a monthly basis and then more frequently in the lead up to the Dreaming Festival. While the co-ordinator of the group describes his role as “a resourcing role, one where neutrality is important, no sides are taken”, strong facilitation skills and a culturally competent approach have been required to give the group unity and purpose.

The group has adopted a mix of informal and formal processes in their meetings. One member described the meetings as “just getting together for a yarn”. Michael Honeysett, Aboriginal Outreach Worker from Turning Point explains that for Aboriginal people “the informal is formal. This is how you build relationships and understanding of each others views.” Senior Sergeant Peter Beckers states the communication in the group is “real, open communication”. The Volunteer and the NJC workers have, largely carried out the more formal processes of keeping minutes and documenting the aims and objectives of the group.

In keeping with the community justice model of the NJC, the group’s activities have had both a community development and crime prevention focus. A proactive approach has been adopted to address issues of discrimination and conflict in the local community. The group is trying to build understanding that citizens in a local community can have differing values without this diversity necessarily having to impact negatively on the social cohesion of the community.

It is clear from the activities that the group is choosing to work on that the members appreciate that understanding of and connection to cultural traditions can act as a vital protective factor for Indigenous people and that cultural competence is a necessary pre-requisite for those working with disadvantaged individuals or communities.24

By staging an Aboriginal music festival, the group were not only showing respect for the local Aboriginal people, giving them the opportunity to reconnect with family and celebrate their identity and heritage, but the group was also showcasing Aboriginal culture to others in the local community. Festivals of this kind create opportunities for cultural participation that are a fun form of public engagement and that have a way of opening minds and receptivity to “others”.25

Robin Higham in an article on arts funding discusses three ways in which the arts can be regarded as indispensable techniques for facilitating the development of trust amongst citizens, as new sources of an eroded social capital:

• by generating low-risk conversation across and amongst the various diversities of modern communities.

• by generating public habits of innovation, creativity, and flexibility; and

• by generating public values of tolerance and respect, which are necessary for peaceful co-existence.26

24. Price-Robertson Rhys, What is community disadvantage? Understanding the issues, overcoming the problem, Australian Institute of Family Studies, May 2011, 10 pp

25. Mitchell, R and Duxbury, N Making Connections: Culture and Social Cohesion in the New Millennium’, Canadian Journal of Communication, vol. 26, no. 4, 2001

26. Highman, Robin Arts and Culture as Profit Centre, Canadian Journal of Communication, Vol 27, No. 2, 2002

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The Smith Street Dreaming Festival provided an important opportunity for generating low-risk conversations and for developing informal relationships and trust.

What next?The Smith Street Working Group will meet in early 2014 to decide on priorities for the next 12-month period. One area of their work that could be further developed is ‘increasing sensitivity to diversity and culture within Justice Agencies.’ It is an important area of work and one where the group has considerable knowledge. There are a number of options that could be considered including: formulating a stand alone Cultural Competency Training Policy and a comprehensive E-learning induction process for justice workers and making this available on the NJC website, or developing a training module for use in a variety of settings.27

Feedback from the Smith Street Dreaming Festival debriefing sessions included the suggestion that cultural competency training could also be extended further to security staff working outside banks and supermarkets on Smith Street and to the traders. One group member has suggested that the group should also offer to take traders on the Fitzroy Aboriginal Heritage Walk as part of the Walk In Our Shoes project.

There is clearly impetus for another Smith Street Dreaming Festival with the Smith Street Business Association and most members of the working group keen to see this happen. The continued partnership with Yarra Council’s Arts and Cultural Services will be key to staging another successful event.

27. Terri Farrelly and Bronwyn Carlson, Towards cultural competence in the justice sector, Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, Current Initiatives Paper 3, June 2011 Centre for Cultural Competence Australia

Sourcing funding for such activities is always difficult. The funding for the Dreaming festival came from Yarra Council ($50,000) and the Neighbourhood Justice Centre ($15,000). While the Council has stated that it would welcome applications for funding for such an event in the future, the Group would not easily be able to ascertain the same level of funding in future years from the Council alone. Other sources of funding need to be considered. Arts Victoria, the Australia Council and philanthropic trust funds such as Westpac or the ANZ trustees, might be potential sources. A business case would need to be developed emphasising the community development focus of the Group’s work.

The question has also arisen of whether the group should keep a strong focus on relationships between the aboriginal community, the traders and the police or whether the focus of work should broaden out to include other disadvantaged community groups also.

Evaluation IssuesA formal evaluation of the NJC was completed in 2010 and the results were very positive particularly in relation to reduced recidivism in the local area and the development of community partnerships.

The work of the Smith Street Working Group has not been formally evaluated yet as the NJC is still considering the appropriate methodology for evaluating crime prevention projects. Much of the focus of the Group’s activities has been on improving community cohesion, however it is difficult to measure changes in levels of community cohesion, as there will always be fluctuations and multiple factors contributing to such changes.

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In planning future community arts based activities, there are evaluation frameworks available such as the Arts Victoria Evaluating Community Arts and Community Well-being- An Evaluation Guide for Community Arts Practitioners28 that the Group could adapt to more rigorously assess the impact of their arts activities.

Initial crime data given to the Working Group by police for the periods 2012 to 2013 does show a marked reduction in crime in and around Smith Street during that period. However, to date there has been no detailed analysis of the reasons for this reduction. We don’t know yet whether it a reduction in offending by Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal people, but can assume it is probably a mix of both and due to multiple contributing factors. These factors potentially include: the work of the Smith Street Working Group, other crime prevention work being undertaken by the Neighbourhood Justice Centre and it’s committees, a more community-oriented policing approach in the area and more police presence on the street at critical times, the work of local support agencies, the work of Yarra Council, and changing demographics.

28. Arts Victoria et al, Evaluating Community Arts and Community Well-being, Victoria 2002.

Anecdotal evidence suggests the Smith Street Dreaming Festival had a very positive impact on the relationships between traders, police and the Parkies who gather in the street. The Vice President of the Business Association has noted that a number of shop traders have commented that since the festival they have not had to call the police about harassment by the Parkies at all. The Parkies have also commented on the improved relationship with some traders.

Senior Sergeant Peter Beckers has confirmed that the number of call-outs from shop traders has reduced significantly since the festival. He has also stated that since his involvement with the Smith Street Working Group his officers are now out talking to the people on Smith Street more, engaging with the whole community. He has recalled a recent incident where it was necessary to make some arrests on Smith Street and said whilst there was still some “argy-bargy”, he was able to talk to everyone by name, told them he had to do his job. Some were abusive but then returned the next day to apologise for their behaviour. He says this wouldn’t have occurred prior to the work of the Smith Street Working Group.

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Conclusion:The membership and activities of the Smith Street Working Group are further evidence of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre’s commitment to and success in community engagement, through the establishment of genuine partnerships and collaborative processes. The Working Group has broad representation consisting of most of the groups who have a genuine connection to Smith Street, either through business, work or through cultural connections. This sharing of knowledge and the collective action of multiple organisations working together fits with a community justice approach, which emphasises the importance of flexible structures and broad representation.29

The Smith Street Working Group is seeking to respond to issues of discrimination and community conflict in innovative ways, encouraging the valuing of diversity in the community and greater understanding of Aboriginal culture and the Aboriginal communities connection to Yarra.

The formation of the Group in response to concerns about conflict and discrimination in the Collingwood community is a clear demonstration of the NJC’s proactive and collaborative approach to addressing community justice issues and enhancing the quality of life in the neighbourhood.

Senior City of Yarra Council staff have commented that the Working Group’s relationship-based way of working, that is inclusive of representatives from Aboriginal services as well as local traders and police, fits perfectly with the Council’s Aboriginal Partnership Plan also.

Systemic change is being introduced through the group’s cultural awareness

29. Neighbourhood Justice Centre, Reflections on Practice, May 2012, p. 5.

activities and this is potentially an area where further work can be done. In addition the Group’s utilisation of community arts as a method to increase understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal culture in the community, appears to be having a helpful impact. The feedback from the Smith Street Dreaming Festival has been very positive and includes comments from both traders and police that relationships on the street have improved since the festival.

It is the combination of a community engagement approach, along with the implementation of strategic cultural awareness activities and policies by the Smith Street Working Group and the organisations they represent, along with the Neighbourhood Justice Centre and Yarra Council activities more broadly, that have the potential to achieve the desired social change effects. For this community these changes involve greater acceptance of diversity and increased capacity to ‘walk in each others shoes’.

The NJC crime prevention staff state that: “While the work of the group has not impacted directly on issues such as the begging on Smith Street, or the broader structural issues of entrenched disadvantaged or the deeper sense of loss, dispossession, or wounding, the police, shop traders and aboriginal community members now have better relations with one another. Although we don’t necessary know how to handle the old wound, we have begun the healing in a practical and tangible way. We began with respect for culture, for each other and for a desire to have a relationship. We must not leave people behind. We need to sustain the work in Smith Street and need commitment from the whole community.”

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References:• AEGIS, Social Impact of Participation

in the Arts and Cultural Activities, Stage Two Report, Sydney, 2004.

• Greg Berman, ‘Just the (Unwieldy, Hard to Gather, But Nevertheless Essential) Facts Ma’am: What we Know and Don’t Know about Problem-Solving Courts’ (2002-3) 30 Fordham Urban Law Review

• City of Yarra, Yarra Aboriginal Partnerships Plan 2011-2014, Yarra City Council, 2011.

• City of Yarra, Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan (2009-2013), An Update on Activities and Reflection on Progress at the Beginning of the Fourth and Final Year of the Plan, March 2013. Canadian Journal of Communication, vol 27, no. 2, selected papers.

• City of Yarra, Smith Street Community Plan – Framework for Action, Yarra City Council, 2009.

• Farrelly, T and Carlson, B Towards Cultural Competence In The Justice Sector, Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, Current Initiatives Paper 3, June 2011 Centre for Cultural Competence Australia

• Fitzgerald, JL, Broad, S A Brief History of Fitzroy/Collingwood in A Dare: Regulating the Street Heroin Market in Fitzroy/ Collingwood, The University of Melbourne and Vic Health, 1999

• Jenson, J Identifying the Links: Social Cohesion and Culture, Canadian Journal of Communication, Vol 27, No. 2, 2002.

• Highman, R, Arts and Culture as Profit Centre, Canadian Journal of Communication, Vol 27, No. 2, 2002.

• International Centre for the Prevention of Crime, Handbook on the Crime Prevention Guidelines, Making them work, Criminal Justice Handbook Series, UNODC, New York, 2010.

• Karp, D Community Justice: Six Challenges, Journal of Community Psychology, Vol. 27 Issue 6, Nov.1999.

• Karp, D and Clear, T Community Justice A Conceptual Framework, New York, www.ncjrs.gov/criminal_justice2000/vol_2/02i2.pdf, accessed Nov 2013.

• Keating, C Evaluating Community Arts and Community Well-Being, Arts Victoria, Vic Health, Darebing City Council, Whittlesea City Council, 2002.

• Lang, J ‘What is a Community Court?’, Centre for Court Innovation Publication. 2011.

• Mitchell, R and Duxbury, N Making Connections: Culture and Social Cohesion in the New Millennium’, Canadian Journal of Communication, vol. 26, no. 4, 2001.

• Morgan, A and Homel, P Evaluating crime prevention: Lessons from large-scale community crime prevention programs Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice no. 458

• ISSN 1836-2206 Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, July 2013

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• Neighbourhood Justice Centre, Reflections on Practice: The Neighbourhood Justice Centre experience of ‘doing justice locally’. Victoria, 2012.

• Judge Stephen Norrish, QC, Are Indigenous People Likely To Receive Greater Penalties Than Non-Indigenous People In The Courts? What Should Be Done About It? A paper for the AIJA ‘Indigenous Justice Conference’ – ‘Current Issues in Delivering Indigenous Justice Challenges for the Courts’ 18-19 July 2013, Adelaide

• Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, Doing Time – Time for Doing Indigenous youth in the criminal justice system, House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, June 2012

• Parliament Of Victoria Drugs And Crime Prevention Committee, Inquiry Into Locally Based Approaches To Community Safety And Crime Prevention Final Report. June 2012

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Published by Neighbourhood Justice Centre Victorian Government Department of Justice Melbourne Victoria Australia, May 2015

Unless indicated otherwise, content in this publication is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia Licence.

(CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). Details of the relevant licence conditions are available on the Creative Commons website (creativecommons.org) as is the full legal code for the CC by 3.0 AU licence.

For further information or additional copies, please contact: Neighbourhood justice Centre 241 Wellington Street Collingwood VIC 3056

Tel 03 9948 8777

Also published on www.neighbourhoodjustice.vic.gov.au

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne.

If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, such as large print or audio, please telephone the Neighbourhood Justice Centre on 03 9948 8777 or email njc@justice.vic.gov.au

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MissionDoing justice locally; strengthening the City of Yarra communities

Goal 1: Prevent and reduce criminal and other harmful behaviour in the Yarra community

Goal 2: Increase confidence in, and access to, the justice system for the Yarra communities

Goal 3: Strengthen the NJC community justice model and facilitate the transfer of its practices to other courts and communitiesNeighbourhood Justice Centre May 2012

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