Why this matters
Police checks are stopping Aboriginal people from getting jobs they deserve. Mob often exclude themselves out of fear and shame. The problem isn’t usually the person. It’s a system that’s too rigid, and rules that don’t leave room for someone’s full story.
Barriers to Employment
Getting a job is already tough.
Police checks make it even harder for Mob.
Many organisations don’t choose to do police checks. Government funding rules make them. Every funding agreement can come with strict conditions, and police checks are often one of them. If organisations don’t follow the rules, they risk failing audits or losing programs that communities rely on.
So employers end up checking everyone across the board, even for jobs where a past record has nothing to do with the work.
That means Mob can miss out on jobs not because the employer doubts them, but because the rules are too rigid.
And a criminal record can follow a person for years. Something that happened long ago, something minor, or something that’s been dealt with, can still show up and quietly close a door.
Funding rules force
organisations to do
police checks
Barriers to Volunteering
Volunteering gives Mob inclusion, purpose, and a connection to community. It builds skills. It can open doors to paid work. But the same checks that block employment are now blocking volunteering too.
Many organisations apply Working with Children Checks and police checks to all volunteer roles, even when no children are involved. A program supporting adults leaving prison, or people doing it tough without a home, shouldn’t need a Working with Children Check. A Working with Children Check is only required when someone works directly with people under 18. But some organisations ask for one anyway, because they’re unsure of the rules or playing it safe across the board.
The process takes time: anywhere from four weeks to several months. During that wait, Mob are stuck on the outside. And if an application is rejected, there’s a five-year ban before someone can try again. Five years cut off from giving back.
Screening should match the actual risk of the role. When it doesn’t, it’s not about safety. It’s just another wall.
For Mob with any kind of record, the risk of rejection can be enough to stop them from trying at all.
A role that could have built confidence, community, and a path to paid work closes before it even opens.
“A lot of fellas will not say anything, they will say nothing because they think it will stop them getting the job.”
Shame and Stigma
When Mob see “police check required” in a job ad, shame and fear can kick in straight away.
Some people freeze. Some walk away without applying. Some feel judged before they’ve even had a chance to speak.
A lot of Aboriginal people experience what’s been called “double discrimination”: for being Aboriginal and for having a record. Two things that shouldn’t stop anyone from getting a fair go.
Many people feel unsure about what to say. Do I tell the truth? What happens if they say no? That uncertainty is exhausting. And it can stop Mob before they even get started.
Shame can make you quiet. It can make you step back before anyone even listens. But things can change when you open up and let your story be heard.
Watch this video to learn how feelings of shame and stigma can stop Mob from applying for jobs and accessing employment opportunities.
Police checks are often not relevant to the job
Not every job needs a police check. But a lot of employers do them anyway, because a funding rule says so, or because it’s become standard practice.
Blanket screening doesn’t always make workplaces safer. Checking everyone, even for roles that carry no real risk, just puts another wall between Aboriginal people and fair employment.
Even when a check is required, old or minor offences are often completely irrelevant to the job.
What happened years ago says nothing about who someone is today or how they’ll perform in the role.
The law is actually on Mob’s side here. Victoria’s Spent Conviction Scheme means many old convictions no longer need to be disclosed, and employers can’t discriminate based on them. But many people don’t know that. And many employers don’t fully understand it either. That has to change.
“The rate of criminal record checks has increased dramatically, tied to employers’ risk management and stricter policies.”
“People with lived experience often connect better with community and young ones.”
Supporting the Recruitment of Aboriginal People
Aboriginal people bring real strengths to the workplace. Strengths that a police check can’t measure.
Lived experience, resilience, deep community connections: these matter. People who’ve been through hard times and come out the other side often have an ability to connect with others in a way that’s hard to teach. That’s valuable in community-facing roles.
Some Aboriginal-controlled organisations already lead the way. They look at the whole person, not just the paperwork. They yarn with candidates instead of running stiff formal interviews. They involve Elders and community in hiring decisions.
This approach works. Employers who do it this way report stronger candidates, better retention, and more culturally safe workplaces.
Mob deserve employers who see their full story. And employers who learn to do that end up with better teams.
Helpful Resources
Resources for Job Seekers
Find fact sheets, brochures, videos and helpful links for Mob looking for work with a record
Resources for Employers
Find fact sheets, brochures, videos and helpful links for Commercial, Government and ACCO employers
Research Papers
Read more information about the research behind the Rethinking Criminal Record Checks Project
