Media releases Archives - Jesuit Social Services

Australia’s glowing report card to the UN ignores a youth justice system in crisis
- 10 July 2026
Australia’s national report to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review presents a picture of human rights progress that is impossible to reconcile with the treatment of children in detention across the country, according to Jesuit Social Services.
Fall in youth crime highlights need to focus on the real crime, not vulnerable teenagers
- 18 June 2026
Statistics released today from the Crime Statistics Agency that show a 6 per cent fall in youth crime in Victoria up to March 2026, and a 1.9 per cent decrease in recorded offences, are a sign that the Victorian Government’s Adult Time for Violent Crime laws are an over-reaction when evidence-based alternatives are more effective at making our community…
Punishment prioritised by cuts to mental health and sexual violence services
- 13 May 2026
The 2026-27 Northern Territory Budget includes welcomed investments in infrastructure, but concerningly shows a commitment to prioritising punishment over prevention, says Jesuit Social Services.
Tax reform an important step in addressing housing crisis
- 12 May 2026
Jesuit Social Services welcomes tonight’s Federal Budget as recognition of the structural inequalities contributing to disadvantage and the role safe, affordable and stable housing can play in supporting people to flourish., says Jesuit Social Services.
Urgent Independent Inquiry into the systems that are failing Northern Territory’s children needed
- 12 May 2026
The Northern Territory Government must heed the calls from the Northern Territory Children’s Commissioner, Shahleena Musk, and National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People, Sue-Anne Hunter, to halt proposed legislative reforms and instead call an independent inquiry led by the Commissioners.
Victoria’s Budget misses the mark on fairness, prevention and early intervention
- 5 May 2026
The Victorian Government’s 2026 State Budget includes some positive measures to address current cost-of-living challenges but is ultimately a missed opportunity to invest more into prevention and early intervention in relation to crime and to support stronger communities, says Jesuit Social Services.
Plan to jail even more children won’t reduce youth crime
- 15 April 2026
The Victorian Opposition's plan to expand the already concerning ‘adult time for violent crime’ laws to cover twice as many offences, should it win November’s state election, would be a backwards step and fail to reduce youth crime from occurring in the first place.
Stop It Now! Australia works to keep children free from harm
- 13 April 2026
A major milestone has been reached with the launch of Stop It Now! Australia, the nation’s first federally funded and nationally available child sexual abuse offending prevention service, operated by Jesuit Social Services. This initiative delivers on a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and forms part of…
New report highlights lessons from frontline organisations responding to extreme weather events and public health emergencies in Melbourne’s west
- 23 March 2026
A new report, published today by Jesuit Social Services’ Centre for Just Places, highlights how community service and health organisations in Melbourne’s west have responded to recent crises including floods, heatwaves and the COVID-19 pandemic, with key recommendations on the need for investment in grassroots collaboration and preparedness activities.
Misguided ‘tough on crime’ policies leading to Closing the Gap failures
- 19 March 2026
As Australia marks National Closing the Gap Day, new data released by the Productivity Commission’s Closing the Gap dashboard shows that Australia is on track to meet only four of the 19 targets and that Australia is going backwards on key targets - the rate of suicide, adult imprisonment, the number of children developmentally on…