Is prison obsolete? Conference. Darling Harbour, Sydney Australia

Mudgin-Gal is an Aboriginal Women’s Corporation, the organisation is located at 233 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale, and service area includes Sydney Metro including the’ Block’ that is the area of land owned by the Aboriginal Housing Company an takes in Holden Street, Louse Street and Vine Street Chippendale/Redfern; we also service clients from the inner-city including Waterloo, Marrickville and La Perouse. Funded by State & Federal Governments Redfern Foundation, Mans Investments.

 Founded nearly 20 years ago.  Mudgin-Gal’s base comes from one of the largest expanded LGA’s in Australia According to the Australian Bureau of Statistic there” The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) regions with the largest number of Indigenous people were Sydney (43,100 or 9%), this meaning that 9% of the national figure of Australian Indigenous people are residing the Sydney region. Aboriginal women make up the largest number of people within this figure.

 Significantly, large volumes of people access the Redfern/Waterloo area due to location and cluster of major and significant Aboriginal services available within the area. It is here that Mudgin-gal has developed a reach that spans across the length and breadth of NSW, as well as interstate. The location of this organisation has placed Mudgin-Gal in a position where it has developed strong ties with and into many of the Aboriginal communities across NSW, and this is reflected by the work we are able to do with these communities in delivering anti-violence education. In particular we have worked with many communities some include – Windsor, Maclean, Dubbo, Moree, Tingha, Huskisson, Macksville, Broken Hill, Menindee, Warren, Lismore and Wilcannia to date. [Source: ABS Regional Population Growth, Australia, , Australian Bureau of Statistics Source: Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2001 (ABS cat. no ) and Experimental Estimates and Projections of Indigenous Australians, (cat. no )]

 Mudgin-Gal targets & services Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Women. This includes providing the following:  Mudgin-Gal's Service:  Daily drop-in centre  Advocacy and liaison  Laundry, bathroom and rest facilities  Clothing pool  Referral to Safe accommodation for women and children  Court support  Grief and loss counselling  Living SAFE Loving, Blackout Violence Program  Domestic Violence court assistance and referral

 In NSW Aboriginal women are over represented and make up the largest group type in the prison population.  Evidence suggest that a larger proportion of Aboriginal women incarcerated have been affected by physical, domestic and sexual abuse.  Mudgin-Gal is not directly funded for women and prison programs, however, we work closely with women who have been affected by prison, as employees, program participants, mentors and active members of our organisation’s member base.

 If this is the question, than the answer from myself and my organisation is a resounding “NO”!.  Our own organisation has shown this with  Healthy Family Circle  Black Out Violence  Living Safe Loving  Our role in working with post-release.

Daughter, Sister, Partner, Friend Football player, great aunty to many nieces & nephews Survivor of childhood sexual abuse/. Imprisoned for violent crime… thriving in the journey and pursuit of a healthy & happy lifestyle

 Mother,sister, aunt,daughter & her most treasured role grand daughter to her late Nan.  Addiction, abusive childhood…Imprisoned on a 16yr. revolving door cycle, children taken out her care, released 2003  Getting a break working at BP Petrol station Winning State Employee of the Yr. & acknowledged also as National Health & Safety Employee…  Today Belinda a Community Support Worker, working towards getting her 2 of her 5 kids back into her care with there siblings…

 A useful web links are:  l.html l.html 