Victoria’s new First Nations body asks government to axe bill that will scrap prisoners’ ‘open air’ rights

Gellung Warl, which was established as part of the treaty process, says bill would erode the basic rights of people in prison Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Victoria’s new First Nations advisory body has made its first intervention on government policy under nation-leading treaty powers to call for a controversial bill that would deny prisoners at least one hour of open air daily to be scrapped. The Labor government’s corrections amendment bill 2026, which is expected to pass parliament this week with Coalition support, would give authorities the ability to deny prisoners their daily hour of outdoor time “subject to operational considerations”. During debate in the lower house last month, the Victorian government acknowledged that the bill was incompatible with the state’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities and partly incompatible with its new treaty with First Nations People. It also does not adhere with the United Nation’s Nelson Mandela rules, which set minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners, including one hour each day in the open air, weather permitting. Despite