
About Us
Our Community Justice is a movement.

Our Movement
We empower local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to take the lead in tackling the unacceptably high involvement of Indigenous people in Queensland’s courts and prisons.
In the mid-1990s, Community Justice Groups were first established in three remote Aboriginal communities, to support community-driven responses to the issues identified by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Since then, elders and concerned community members have established Community Justice Groups in more than 40 locations across the State. With funding and support from the Queensland Government, these groups strive to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the criminal justice system.
The problems highlighted by the Royal Commission in 1991 have not been fixed. Far too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to cycle through courts and jails.
But Community Justice Groups are getting stronger. They are united in the belief that solutions driven by the community are our best chance of achieving justice in our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Government has also recognised this, with a significant boost to funding and support for Community Justice Groups in recent years.

Empowerment
Empowering First Nations communities and uplifting their stories.

Respect
Respecting traditional owners and elders, and their bespoke ways.

Knowledge
Understanding and navigating the justice system together.
Our work with Myuma
An Aboriginal social enterprise, Myuma has been engaged by the Department of Justice and Attorney General to evaluate the Community Justice Group program from 2021 to 2023.
Myuma has created this online resource as a place to showcase the stories of success that are happening locally around the State. As we visit and work with Community Justice Groups over the next three years, our evaluation team will help them to tell and share their stories widely, so they can inspire the broader network of Community Justice Groups and their government and community partners.
Through this website and social media channels, we will also help staff and members of Community Justice Groups to connect, so they can learn from each other’s ideas and experiences and collaborate on community justice initiatives.

Our Team
Myuma has assembled an evaluation team of people with strong community connections across Queensland. Our team will work closely with Community Justice Groups to find out what really works in driving community solutions to community justice issues.

Colin Saltmere
Regional Evaluator

Dr Michael Limerick
Statewide Evaluation Coordinator

Joann Schmider
Regional Evaluator

Dr Heron Loban
Regional Evaluator

Helena Wright
Regional Evaluator

Dion Creek
Regional Evaluator

Jenny Pryor
Regional Evaluator

Dr Melinda Mann
Regional Evaluator

Cheryl Buchanan
Regional Evaluator

Dr Mark Moran
Regional Evaluator

Amber Lenoy
Communications Officer

Bill Buchanan
Cultural Advisor

Dr Samantha Jeffries
Data Analyst