Released 25/09/2018
Native and exotic plant seedlings grown by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) have been donated to Canberra City Farm Inc. for planting across the community.
Participants in the Culture and Land Management (CALM) program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees learn new skills and knowledge about native plants and foods from across the region, run a seedbank, and plant native trees and shrubs across the AMC.
This provides opportunities for ‘Bungi Yeddungm’— that in Ngunnawal language, means ‘doing good’ for Country, and for community.
Currently twenty-two Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees are enrolled in the CALM program where they are learn about country and the importance of sustainable land management.
Around 200 seedlings will be handed over today, made up of a mix of varieties collected as seeds locally. These include Heaka Serulata (needlebush), Callistemon (bottlebrush) and Crepe Myrtles.
It comes after a recent donation of 200 seedlings to Greening Australia, including acacias and dianellas.
“These skills are culturally significant, and can also feed into trade qualifications that can assist detainees to successfully reintegrate into the community,” Minister for Corrections Shane Rattenbury said. The ACT also continues to provide education and training among its prison population. As of January 2018, 70.6% of eligible detainees engaged in education and training, compared against a national average of 32.9%.
The ACT Government is committed to reducing recidivism by 25% by 2025, in line with the Labor-Greens Parliamentary Agreement for the 9 th Assembly.
- Statement ends -
Shane Rattenbury, MLA | Media Releases
Media Contacts
| Name | Phone | Mobile | |
|---|---|---|---|