In this episode, we are joined by Magistrate Mark Douglass to talk about his experiences as an Aboriginal magistrate and his perspective on Aboriginal people and the criminal justice system.

Magistrate Douglass discusses how he overcame early life challenges to reach his current position. He shares his hope that the criminal justice system is changing, including through the expansion of culturally-specific processes and his work as Chair of the Local Court’s First Nations Committee.

Please note this episode contains content that some listeners may find distressing, including mentions of domestic violence, sexual assault and suicide. If you want to avoid this content, skip from 1:41 to 3:07 and from 22:35 to 23:36. If you need support, you can contact these services free of charge:

• Beyond Blue: call support services on 1300 22 4636 or visit www.beyondblue.org.au
• Lifeline: call the 24-hour crisis line on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au

• FullStop Australia: call 1800 424 017 or visit www.fullstop.org.au
• National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Service: call 1800RESPECT or 1800 737 732,or visit www.1800respect.org.au