THE CONFERENCE
The conference key theme reflects on the profound emotional, cultural, and spiritual journey of families and communities affected by deaths in custody. It honours the decades-long struggle for justice, the pain of loss, and the resilience that fuels national movements, inquiries, and calls for accountability and acknowledges that advocacy and reform are rooted in deep care for children, family, and community, inspiring solutions across policing, corrections, healthcare, and legal systems. The conference explores critical themes including truth-telling, lived experience, cultural leadership in justice reform, policing, corrections, oversight, mental health and disability care in custody, prevention strategies, community safety, policy, legal reform, coronial findings, and family advocacy. Together, these principles create a space for healing, hope, dignity, and culturally led reform, ensuring that the voices of families guide action, and that no more Indigenous lives are lost in custody.
CONFERENCE PHILOSOPHY & AIMS
The 2026 National Indigenous Death in Custody Conference is guided by a philosophy that places families and communities at the heart of justice. It seeks to centre the voices and lived experiences of those directly affected, while promoting culturally grounded, community-led solutions to prevent harm and protect lives. The conference champions transparency, oversight, and institutional accountability, fostering cross-sector collaboration across policing, corrections, health, and legal systems. By creating culturally safe spaces for dialogue, truth-telling, and healing, it drives momentum toward long-overdue justice and systemic reform, ensuring that the perspectives, knowledge, and resilience of Indigenous communities shape the future of policy, practice, and advocacy.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
The conference is open to everyone dedicated to improving disability care, inclusion, and cultural safety across Australia. It brings together First Nations people with disability, their families, carers, community leaders, Elders, and Traditional Owners who are passionate about creating meaningful change. The conference also welcomes NDIS providers, health and allied health professionals, mental health practitioners, policy makers, educators, researchers, and government representatives committed to building culturally safe and responsive systems. It is an essential gathering for community organisations, advocates, and emerging leaders seeking to strengthen partnerships, share knowledge, and drive reform within the disability sector. Whether you work in service delivery, policy, education, or advocacy, this conference offers a powerful space to connect, learn, and collaborate toward a future where every First Nations person living with disability is empowered to live strong, independent, and proud—grounded in culture, community, and belonging.
YOUR INVITATION
We wish to invite Indigenous and non-Indigenous people from Australia and throughout, to attend the conference to share and gather information. We also extend an invitation to participants to join us at the conference dinner in a relaxed atmosphere. To ensure that delegates attend and participate in the conference experience, it is important to note that to show accountability of delegates in meeting their obligation; each delegate will receive a Certificate of Attendance only when they attend 85% of all the conference sessions. In addition, at the end of the conference, delegates will receive a copy of all papers & presentations presented at the conference through Dropbox.
