QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Women, Minister for Government Services and Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (14:35): I can talk about the areas that the Commonwealth has responsibility for, and I've already outlined in my previous answer that while the states and territories run the criminal justice systems—and, in particular, the jails and other places of detention—across Australia, we are working with states and territories who hold those levers for change.

In other areas of responsibility, we have about reducing the numbers of people in jail, there are a number of programs that the Commonwealth does take responsibility for and is heavily investing in, and that work is led by the Attorney-General and by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs. As I said at the beginning, we are concerned about the stories raised about the practice of shackling pregnant women, and we will continue to work through these issues with the states and territories.