On Friday, 6 February 2026, we had the privilege of welcoming the new cohort of first year law students starting at the University of Technology (UTS), as part of O-Week. Side-by-side with …
March 31, 2026
Young people deserve support, not police force
March 31, 2026
SUBMISSION SUMMARY In March 2026, the Alternative First Responders (AFR) Team put forward a submission to the New South Wales (NSW) Select Committee on Youth Justice advocating for the …
AFR Team – News, Submission
March 19, 2026
This World Storytelling Day – Pledge Your Story
March 19, 2026
In the Alternative First Responder position paper we share the data and research behind the issues and harms caused by status quo policing and the impacts that can have on individuals and whole communities. These patterns of police …
March 9, 2026
More than ambulances replacing police: What does better crisis response look like?
March 9, 2026
Dr Chris Maylea is a social worker, lawyer, and Professor of Law at La Trobe University. He has practice experience in mental health services as a social worker and manager, …
Dr Chris Maylea and Dr Panos Karanikolas – Blog, Opinion Piece
March 5, 2026
Election Explainer South Australia 2026
March 5, 2026
Ahead of the South Australia state elections, we’ve created an election explainer to clearly outline where each political party stands on issues related to alternative first responders and community safety. …
AFR Team – News
February 19, 2026
Open Letter: Investment in Alternative First Responders
February 19, 2026
South Australia’s political leaders are being urged to rethink how community safety is funded, with a growing demand for care-led alternatives to policing that prevent harm. Alternative First Responders are not new, they are …
AFR Team – Formal Statement
February 9, 2026
Inquiry into Australia’s youth justice and incarceration system
February 9, 2026
Alternative First Responders Submission Summary In December 2025, the Alternative First Responder Team put forward a submission to the inquiry, with a focus on Terms of Reference 2B: evidence of …
AFR Team – Formal Statement, Submission
January 29, 2026
Alternative First Responders in Australia: Impact, Advocacy and Lessons from 2025
January 29, 2026
As we arrive in 2026, we wanted to reflect on how far this work has come, the lessons learned along the way, and the collective effort that brought us here. Alternative First Responder …
AFR Team – Blog
January 13, 2026
Beyond police in mental health crisis: centring First Nations leadership and community-driven care
January 13, 2026
When someone is experiencing psychological distress, the response they receive can mean the difference between safety and traumatisation. For too long, Australia has defaulted to the police as first responders …
Danelle Lever, Knowmore Legal Services – Blog, Opinion Piece
November 10, 2025
Building an Ecosystem of Care
November 10, 2025
When looking at the numerous contexts and communities that stand to benefit from the establishment of alternative first responders, the area of mental health is hard to ignore. It is …
AFR Team – Blog
RELATED MEDIA
- Kimberley Aboriginal community sets new blueprint for health and wellbeing, 16 March, National Indigenous Times
- AFR Campaign Lead Interview with 4ZZZ Radio, 7 March, 4ZZZ Radio
- Knife-wielding man shot dead by police at private home in Tingalpa, 3 March, 7News
- Officer ‘didn’t have time’ to turn on body-worn camera before shooting Sydney man having psychotic episode, inquest hears, 3 March, The Guardian
- ‘Less lethal’ deaths: courts examine role of controversial police weapons before three Australians died, 2 March, The Guardian
- Indigenous leaders back care-led response as alternatives to policing in South Australia, 20 February, National Indigenous Times
- New mental health support teams hit the ground in Lismore 20 February The Lismore App
- Youth justice experts warn over-policing of residential care children is ‘manufacturing criminals’ 20 February, ABC News
- United Nations critical of Australia’s age of criminal responsibility, incarceration rates 27 February, ABC News
- Centring community and care: why Australia needs an alternative to police-first responses 11 October, Cheek Media
