The Maranguka justice reinvestment program in Bourke is setting an example for communities across the nation as to how to take a negative and turn it into a positive. 

A delegation from Western Australia travelled to Bourke and Brewarrina from 29 May to 31 May to learn about the area's successful community-led justice reinvestment strategy. 

The delegation included the chair of Yinggarda Aboriginal Corporation Tracey Tonga, the CEO of the Yinggarda Aboriginal Corporation Denise Cotterill, principal regional development officer at the Gascoyne Development Kate Boston and advisor to the National Indigenous Australians Agency Naomi McMahon.

They also met with Justine Campbell, CEO of RDA Orana.

Regional Development Australia (RDA) Orana facilitated the meeting between the different organisations. 

"We enjoyed our trip very much. It was very informative," Yinggarda Aboriginal CEO Denise Cotterill said. 

Ms Cotterill said that they travelled to Bourke to learn about how to "reduce the number of people tied up in the justice system and why they get there in the first place."

"It's also about finding ways to empower our community to make decisions from a grassroots level."

Maranguka is the first Aboriginal-led justice reinvestment program in Australia in 2013. 

It is a collaboration between the Bourke Tribal Council, Just Reinvest NSW, and the Bourke community. 

The goal of the program is to keep community members out of the criminal justice system through Aboriginal-led grassroots movements and activities. 

These activities included a school holiday program, a men's working group, an early childhood and parenthood working group, an Aboriginal Employment Prosperity Strategy, and many more. 

“Maranguka is a success story about how communities can work together with local police, organisations, education, and health services, and local government to drive local solutions and were happy to share their journey with us,” Ms Tonga said. 

Between 2013 and 2015, there already was a 23 percent reduction in the number of reported domestic violence incidents reported to police and a 42 percent decrease in the number of days adults spent in custody. 

There was also an 84 percent increase in the completion rate of VET courses by Bourke high-school students and a 31 percent increase in the retention rate for Year 12 students. 

Carnarvon in WA received funding from the Federal Government in April to support a similar justice reinvestment strategy.

In total, the Federal Government has set aside $79 million to support 30 justice reinvestment strategies in First Nations communities. 

Ms Cotterill said that in her community the biggest need is for an expansion of Aboriginal Health Services and finding out how to support children's educational pathways from a young age. 

"I think Bourke needs to be highlighted. It leads the way in terms of how to design services moving forward," Ms Cotterill said. 

Within the coming months, Elders and members of the Aboriginal community in Bourke will be travelling to Carnarvon to get a better understanding of the needs of the Aboriginal community there. 

In the 2022-2023 federal budget, the Australian government committed $69 million to establish a National Justice Reinvestment Program