ISJA was established in January 2005 to organise a Melbourne rally and march as part of a National Day of Action to mark the first anniversary of the death of Kamilaroi teenager, TJ Hickey in Redfern, and to demand a fresh inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death. ISJA is a grassroots, multi-racial activist group — open to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people — which works collaboratively with others around the country campaigning to stop Indigenous deaths in custody.
ISJA's recognises that the struggle to end Indigenous deaths in custody cannot be separated from the wider campaign for Indigenous rights. This is why we also work to advance campaigns to recognise the Sovereignty of Australia’s many Indigenous nations and the negotiation of genuine treaties with these nations and why we oppose the Federal Government’s intervention into NT Aboriginal communities.