From today, public drunkenness will be decriminalised in Victoria.
While the change in legislation falls on Melbourne Cup day, the decriminalisation of public drunkenness was recommended by a Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody thirty years ago.
The family of Yorta Yorta woman Aunty Tanya Day, who passed away in 2017 has been fighting for years.
Tanya was arrested for being drunk in a public place and died after hitting her head in a concrete cell at Castlemaine Police Station.
The Coroner found her death was preventable.
In a statement provided by Aunty Tanya's family, the family said the change was long overdue.
"Our mother would still be here today if the Government repealed the laws criminalising public drunkenness," the statement reads.
It also addressed systemic racism in the police force.
"Police cells are dangerous places for intoxicated people... For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people this is especially so, where systemic racism and bias held by individuals means that our people are more likely to die when detained in police cells.
"Our family is yet to receive an apology or acknowledgement of the role that police played in our Mother's death and we continue to fight for independent oversight and accountability of police to ensure that what happened to our mum doesn't happen again."
The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service has coined this a vital step towards ending racist policing in Victoria.
"Victoria's Aboriginal communities have waited decades for this reform. This is a critical step that will take us one step closer to ending racist policing against Aboriginal people," VALS CEO Nerita Waight said in a statement.
"The state government is establishing health services to support people who are intoxicated in public.
"It is essential that these services are established as quickly as possible and that Aboriginal organisations are empowered and supported to operate these services in the way that they see fit for their communities," Ms Waight added.
Support for mob
The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service has said that being affected by alcohol in public is "a health issue that requires a health response."
Aboriginal organisations are working with the Victorian government to ensure there is support for mob.
The will help operate a 24/7 phone service. The hotline will be staffed by call-takers who are culturally safe, and will refer cases to outreach teams.
Ngwala Willumbong Aboriginal Corporation will also operate outreach services across Melbourne, Frankston and Wyndham for mob, as well as a sobering up centre in St Kilda.
