RLC’s Inner Sydney Tenants’ Advice and Advocacy Service (ISTAAS) made submissions to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment regarding the Waterloo Estate (South) Planning Proposal.
The submission argues that systemic racism runs through child protection, policing, and the justice system’s response to First Nations people:
- DCJ/Child protection: Placement principles aren’t genuinely followed; poor ACCO partnership. Case study: Jane, whose three children were removed.
- NSW Police: BOCSAR data shows severe overrepresentation in use of force, tasering, and strip searches relative to population share; linked to the Bourke coronial inquest and 2024 Senate inquiry findings.
- Victim response: Police failures to investigate/protect First Nations victims. Case study: Lloyd.
- DV misidentification: First Nations women wrongly treated as perpetrators. Case study: Tammy.
Ten recommendations call for genuine ACCO partnership, more funding for First Nations-led services, earlier family support, systemic anti-racism work in policing, and DV law reform.