Somebody's Daughter Theatre - strengthening community through the arts Rachel Payne -

Tuesday the 29th of October, 2024
Victorian Legislative Council

Rachel Payne MP directed a question without notice to the Minister for Corrections, Enver Erdogan. After recently attending a production by Somebody’s Daughter Theatre Company exploring intersectional themes surrounding identity, Rachel advocated for ongoing funding for such therapeutic arts programs.

For over 40 years, Somebody’s Daughter Theatre Company have collaborated with women in Victorian prisons and “some of the most vulnerable and powerless in our society” to create “high-quality theatre and pathways back into education and community.”

RACHEL PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan):
Substantive question
My question is for Minister for Corrections, Minister Erdogan. I recently had the pleasure of attending a production by Somebody’s Daughter Theatre Company at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.

This year’s performance explored the intersection between the term ‘Miss’ and identity and how women are addressed in custody, mental health and misdiagnoses. Talking to the women who performed, it was clear that the creative process plays a transformative role in their rehabilitation.

As a registered charity, Somebody’s Daughter and other programs like it rely on irregular donations for their operation, with only a small portion of government funding, and there is a real fear that one day this funding will run out, so I ask: what advocacy will you do to ensure therapeutic arts programs like this have substantial long-term funding?

ENVER ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan, Minister for Corrections):
Substantive response
I thank Ms Payne for her question and her interest in our corrections system and programs such as Somebody’s Daughter Theatre at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. I think as a government we have been up-front that a key to getting better outcomes and keeping our community safe is making sure we use the time in custody as an opportunity to rehabilitate people, and that takes form in a number of ways. It takes form in our investments in education, especially the links with TAFEs. I know on this side of the chamber we are very passionate about the links with vocational training, as Minister Tierney is, but also our links with employment opportunities.

A key part of that is cultural experiences. We know how transformative they can be for people in custody, and Somebody’s Daughter is a program I am very proud of that we do facilitate, that we do support. I acknowledge their work as one of the more successful programs, a program that not only gets some government funding but also gets philanthropy and generous donations from people in the community who are passionate about making change, as we are. As minister I will continue to advocate for funding for programs such as that. That is a program that is not up for renewal this year, and it has a long-term contract in place with the Department of Justice and with Corrections Victoria, so it will continue to be supported. My understanding is the contract expires in 2027, so some time ahead, but as a government we will continue to support these programs.

We have a number of other programs as well that are similar and that do have a great rehabilitative effect on those in custody – so they are not only good for them, but they are also good for our community – such as the Torch, and I know, Ms Crozier, you referred to Ms Neville. I know she is playing a leading role in the Torch, and that is a program that we continue to support as well. These are programs that take the best in our corrections system and give people the chance to rehabilitate. That is good for them, it is good for their families, it is good for community safety.

RACHEL PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan):
Supplementary question
I thank the minister for his response. By way of supplementary, will the minister commit to attending next year’s production by Somebody’s Daughter Theatre?

ENVER ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan, Minister for Corrections):
Supplementary response
I thank Ms Payne for the supplementary question. I do look forward to next year’s production. I know this year’s production was well received, and I appreciate your direct feedback.

I have had feedback from a number of other sources. Depending on calendar and sitting calendar availability I look forward to attending, but obviously I need to make sure that lines up. We do not have next year’s calendar with us at the moment to consider those dates. I know how positive the reviews were, and I look forward to getting along.