This second report of the Yoorrook Justice Commission focuses on the past and ongoing systemic injustice experienced by First Nations communities within Victoria’s child protection and criminal justice systems. Like the June 2022 interim report, Yoorrook with purpose, this report is grounded in the voices of First Nations Elders.

Yoorrook built on the existing body of knowledge and the vast experience of First Peoples who have been affected by and who have pushed for reform of the child protection and criminal justice systems over many years. As heard often in hearings, roundtables and submissions, the problems, and solutions to address systemic injustices in these sectors are not new — First Nations people and organisations have been proposing evidence-based solutions for decades.

This report documents serious deficits in three key areas that are critical to government making good on its commitments to self-determination and to ending the systemic injustices that the State has inflicted and continues to inflict on First Peoples. These span both the child protection and criminal justice systems and have whole of government implications. They are:

1. monitoring and accountability
2. cultural competence and responsiveness, including human rights capability
3. the need to strengthen human and cultural rights compliance.