Building a Brighter Future: Pursuing Practical and Non-Punitive Responses to Youth Justice
Channel: Queensland Council for Civil Liberties
Date: 2023-05-13

In this inspiring event, our speakers share their perspectives on non-punitive approaches to youth justice, focusing on innovative solutions that result in fewer children in detention and lower risks of reoffending.

OUR SPEAKERS 
Katherine Hayes
Katherine Hayes has a bachelor of Laws and bachelor of Education and has practiced as a commercial lawyer for 20 years, including as a partner for 4 years, before moving to the Youth Advocacy Centre as its CEO. Katherine is alarmed by the hysteria surrounding youth justice at the moment and is doing her best to help change the narrative.

Debbie Kilroy
Debbie Kilroy OAM is a leading advocate for protecting the human rights of women and children through decarceration in Australia. Her passion for justice stems from her personal experience with the criminal justice system, having been sentenced to 6 years imprisonment for drug trafficking in 1989, during which she witnessed a murder and was stabbed. While in prison, Debbie earned a degree in Social Work and pursued opportunities for education and employment. After her release, she founded Sisters Inside, an organization that advocates for the rights of women in the criminal justice system. Debbie is also a qualified Gestalt Therapist and Legal Practitioner, and a leading criminal solicitor in Queensland. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her work, and is a highly sought-after keynote speaker on topics such as decarceration, human rights, and women prisoners.

Keith Hamburger 
Keith was the first Director General of Queensland Corrective Services Commission and played a significant role in implementing the Kennedy Commission of Inquiry Reform Agenda to create a cost-effective system of Corrections with the lowest return to prison rate in Australia. He has contributed to major inquiries into Queensland Corrections and has visited and studied corrections in several countries. Keith has also worked with Queensland's First Nations people since 2016 to reduce their over-representation in prisons by empowering Elders to deliver family, community strengthening and justice services. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and has been awarded the Order of Australia Medal for Public Service.