Reflections on justice

I visited Hutt Lagoon in WA as a reflection pit stop after spending the day with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in two different prison settings. In Kalgoorlie where it felt like a community home compared to Geraldton where it was bleak and what you imagine high security prison would be like.

The differences between their outlooks was immense and the way each group of women where treated by the prison guards depending on the setting didn’t seem fair.

The crimes committed between the two groups were similar, with many simply unable to pay parking tickets.

One group felt empowered and able to get their life back on track after their experience, while the other felt helpless and if they did leave they would surely return.

It is important to question what our emphasis should be in the justice system. It shouldn’t be to punish and throw away any hope for a better life. It should be to rehabilitate with the measure of success being a reduction in reoffending. This starts with questioning who is entering the system and why.

We need to remember that in Australia we are locking up Indigenous people as the default response to poverty, homelessness, mental health and drug and alcohol addiction.

The system is broken and all Australians should be questioning why we have such high overrepresentation of Indigenous people in our justice system. The numbers just don’t add up.

Indigenous people are not more likely to commit a crime. However if they do, they are more likely to have their bail refused or receive a prison sentence compared to non-Indigenous Australians who commit the same crime and are released on bail.

This painting reflects my two experiences, orange in Geraldton with a darker outlook and pink being Kalgoorlie with hope.

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My name is Samantha, and I’m a proud Torres Strait Islander woman with ancestral connections to both the Eastern and Central Islands, as well as Kiwi and Scottish ancestry. I was born on the mainland on Turrbal/Yuggera Country and raised on Kaurna Yerta.

My paintings are a contemporary expression of my deep connection with First Nations peoples across many countries. Each piece reflects the relationships, stories, and truths I’ve gathered through my journey.

I’ve had the privilege of visiting over 70 communities across Australia and listening to thousands of people share their lived experiences with me. These stories nourish my soul and deepen my connection to the rich and complex fabric of this nation.

But listening also carries weight. Time and time again, I’m reminded of the ongoing inequities our people face — legacies of colonisation still embedded in our systems and institutions.

My art emerged as a form of healing. Taught to me by healers in different parts of the country, these techniques became a way to process the vicarious trauma I was absorbing while engaging with communities across areas like health and wellbeing, education, child protection, incarceration, domestic and family violence, employment, and justice.

Through repetition and rhythm, these artistic methods calm my mind and allow me to fully process what I’ve heard. Each piece is part of my healing — keeping me strong, grounded, and able to continue fighting for our rights and elevating community voices in my professional life.

Every artwork I create is inspired by a real story — a moment, a voice, a truth I carry with me — and each one stands as a powerful reminder of the collective hope we share for a better future.