(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
(BIRDS TWITTER, SQUAWK)
Thank you. See ya. No worries. See ya.
Mark? Yeah.
How are ya, mate? How're you going? Nice to meet you.
Denny from Rainbow Lodge.
How're you going, mate? Yeah, good.
All good? Yeah, all good, mate.
Yeah, sweet. Do you want me to grab your bag or anything for you?
No, no, I'm right. You're all good, brother?
They gave you everything? Yeah, everything.
Yeah. Yeah. Mad.
LINTON BESSER: It's Mark Doyle's first taste of freedom
after two years on the inside.
Are you hungry? I'm starving.
What do you want to eat, brother? I don't know, we'll go to Maccas.
Alright, brother, let's get going. No worries. Thank you.
We'll go get a feed. (LAUGHS) Yeah.
The 55-year-old has been in and out of prison for most of his life.
The Maccas is only down the road anyway, bro,
The Maccas is only down the road so, we'll go there, yeah?
(SENSOR BEEPS)
What about family, brother?
Sorry to hear that.
Any kids? No. No.
Any kids? No kids.
Mark Doyle's odds of staying out of jail aren't good.
Alright.
Across Australia
almost half of all prisoners are back inside within two years.
They were going to put me in a moratorium for two weeks,
and then I was on my own.
Mark has no family and no home.
I'll just go for a quick toilet break. Yeah?
Yeah, yeah, there's no rush, brother. Yeah, it's all good.
Yeah, yeah, there's no rush, There's no rush.
I've got to go bathroom before we go as well.
But this time he's got a bed
at one of the few places in New South Wales...
at one of the few places A lot of mountains around here, eh?
..where he might get a new start.
Australia spends $6 billion a year jailing offenders,
but just a fraction of that on helping them stay out.
Hey. How're you going, Mark? Good, man. Yourself?
Good to see ya. That's Harry.
Good, man. Yourself? That's good.
Have you filled out one of these before?
You just fill out as much as you can.
You just fill out If you need help with anything...
Yeah, I don't have a phone number, If you need help with anything...
Yeah, I don't have a phone number, so...
Yeah, I don't have a phone number, Entry date.
It's the twenty...
Fourth. It's the twenty...
Fourth. Of February.
I'll take you to your room.
So, we've got a basket here with your toiletries -
toothpaste, soap, a razor, a towel.
Do you need anything else?
Clothes. If you've got any clothes.
Clothes? I'll be right. I'll go...
I've got a couple of days' worth, that's all.
Is that your only bag? Yeah.
Is that your only bag? Cool. I'll show you to your room.
So, just in here. So, I'll get you your pin for the door.
So, just in here. So, I'll get you Yeah.
LINCOLN: Imagine now, if you hadn't come here,
exactly what you'd be doing right now.
exactly what you'd be doing ALAN: Probably back in jail.
For 60 years
Rainbow Lodge has been helping men For 60 years
Rainbow Lodge has been helping men coming out of prison.
Rainbow Lodge has been helping men To be eligible
they must be at high risk of both homelessness and reoffending.
No, no, there's two approvals, so, I approve and the board has to.
The lodge's manager is Claude Robinson.
The lodge's manager I've spoken to Mark.
I think the philosophy I've spoken to Mark.
I think the philosophy of Rainbow Lodge
is we take the men that no-one else takes.
We're not a punitive centre, is we take the men that no-one else takes.
We're not a punitive centre,
so, we use restorative practice.
I'll get the hose.
Get the bird shit off. Yeah, I know.
Hey, what... That's not...
Men on parole like Mark...
That's so hard, that bit there.
..are on a three-month program
to help them transition back into mainstream society.
No, that's a crack in your windscreen.
The lodge has room for eight of them at a time.
With Denny picking up a young Koori lad...
With Denny Here at Rainbow,
we're the largest provider
of post-incarceration accommodation in New South Wales
for men or women. of post-incarceration accommodation in New South Wales
for men or women.
And we have 32 places a year
out of that 19,000 that's released.
TRENT: Looks rad! Must be mine!
Across New South Wales
barely more than 2% of people leaving Across New South Wales
barely more than 2% of people leaving prison get a bed in such a program.
It's estimated half of all those leaving prison in New South Wales -
It's estimated half of all those about 10,000 people -
end up homeless.
You're killing me, mate. end up homeless.
You're killing me, mate. (LAUGHS)
You're killing me, mate. Bro, fucking killing me, eh?
So, they might be entitled to three nights temporary accommodation.
And normally that'll be in an establishment
that's riddled with drugs and anti-social behaviour.
But at the lodge
the men are supported But at the lodge
the men are supported to gradually readjust to normal life.
Each of the men are responsible for keeping their rooms clean,
cleaning the bathrooms and the toilets and the common areas
cleaning the bathrooms and there's a cooking roster,
so, one of the residents and there's a cooking roster,
so, one of the residents will cook each night.
so, one of the residents (LAUGHTER)
Which we find is a really important part of the program.
The way our prison system works, you know,
The way our prison system works, it's very inflexible and structured.
And then we release these people into the community
and suddenly, you know, they've got to pay rent, clean their house,
you know, get to appointments on time.
Who made it? Did Harry make it?
Did you make it?
You know, the evidence tells us
that people go back to prison
because they find
the level of personal responsibility because they find
the level of personal responsibility in the community
the level of personal responsibility without a transitional support
too overwhelming.
(QUIET CHATTER)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
For men whose mistakes have seen them cast out by the world,
Rainbow Lodge is a light in the darkness.
Who's doing now? Uh... Mark.
Who's doing now? The same is true for the boss.
I feel really privileged that I get to do the work I do.
You know...
..my life could have turned out so differently.
You know, I was a resident here 17 years ago,
you know, when I was released from Goulburn prison in 2006.
Seven and a half years in prison.
Every time I didn't think it could get lower
Every time it got lower.
During his time in Goulburn jail
his parents died, leaving him a $60,000 inheritance.
The reality was, unfortunately,
within six weeks of getting out, I...
..you know, I shot up all that money,
you know, in the Astoria Hotel in Kings Cross.
You know, and this is the insanity of it.
I woke up that last morning...
And just before that, you know, every couple...
..I'd wake up with my girlfriend and go,
"I will stop using when there's $20,000 left, when..." you know.
And I woke up that last day and there was no money left.
And I was just filled with such dread and terror.
And I was just filled And I thought...
My rational thinking And I thought...
My rational thinking was that I would go to Centrelink
and say to them that "I'm on the run from parole," which I was,
and that "I don't want to rob anyone,
"so, can you give me a counter cheque?"
And I thought that they would go,
"Oh, that's a really good idea," you know.
And I just remember the person saying...
..you know, just, like, laughing at me,
going, "There's no way you're getting a counter cheque."
And I was so desperate, you know, I...
You know, I jumped the counter and, you know,
robbed him of his phone and all that.
And...
Like, I still connect to the shame of that, you know, as...
Like, I still connect to the shame (CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY)
..like, you know,
someone who's got children, ..like, you know,
someone who's got children, who goes to work and that,
I just think... I still think of that man
I just think... because I still think of that...
Like, all he did was go into work that day, you know, he had...
I had no right to do what I did to him.
Claude gave himself up, did another term of prison and got clean.
Claude gave himself up, did another He spent the next decade rebuilding.
All these different people
encouraged me to keep going, you know?
And the opportunity came up, you know, nearly three years ago
to come back to Rainbow Lodge as the manager.
to come back to Rainbow Lodge (CUTLERY AND DISHES CLACK)
Just sorta focuses your mind
but it also just allows your mind to sorta drift.
Upstairs, Nathan Schmalz is doing everything he can to stay sober
Upstairs, Nathan Schmalz is doing and out of prison.
It wasn't until, like, and out of prison.
It wasn't until, like, I spent extended times
It wasn't until, like, in, like, a confined space
that you just have to find other ways
that you just have to to allow your mind to be free.
He's been at the lodge to allow your mind to be free.
He's been at the lodge for five months.
Last year the 38-year-old pleaded guilty to a string of crimes,
including an aggravated break-and-enter
including and a serious assault.
My last crimes, there was...
There was a whole lot of them, man.
I ended up, you know,
taking a few cars and then... I ended up, you know,
taking a few cars and then...
..getting on the drugs
and breaking into some homes
and just doing putrid stuff
that, you know,
no-one should have to sit there that, you know,
no-one should have to sit there and have to put up with.
You know, these people work for a living,
these people, you know, acquire these things,
and to have someone go into their home and...
..and do the things that I've done, you know, take from it,
it's not...it's not nice, you know what I mean?
(ENGINE STARTS)
It's a new day and a new start for Nathan.
He's got his first proper job in 15 years.
Look at that - of all the cars he could have pulled over,
he's pulled over the most shitty-looking little car,
some poor member of society that's just struggling to get to work.
some poor member of society that's (INDISTINCT CHATTER ON RADIO)
It's pretty shit.
It's the norm.
With him in the truck is Rod.
He's also gone through Rainbow Lodge.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah. That's it. Yeah.
Yeah. No. Definitely.
25 years plus. It's enough!
You don't want to deal with it when you're in there.
So, what's the process? Just stack it and take it?
Yeah, just stack them up. Yeah.
Just stack them up and put them in the back.
We've met a few times, you know, in custody,
but this is sort of like the first time we've caught up out here.
but this is sort of like the first Having a crack at life together.
This shows that, like, there's a pathway to do it, you know,
like, what I'm doing, it's not frivolous,
it's not... it's not doing without meaning.
(TRUCK BEEPS)
GPS: At the roundabout take the first exit.
What's something you'd be doing today after work, Rod?
What's something you'd be doing GPS: In 200 metres...
Today? Yeah.
Today? So, I'm going away...
Oh, yeah? So, I'm going away...
Oh, yeah? ..for the weekend.
Oh, yeah? Nice.
So, this afternoon we're just going shopping
So, this afternoon to get all the food and that.
So, I've got a four-wheel drive, to get all the food and that.
So, I've got a four-wheel drive, and I've got a fridge in that
in the back. Nice.
So, we're just gonna go camping for three days.
So, we're just gonna go camping Yeah. Nice.
Normal stuff, man. It's the first time ever. Like...
Yes.
And now I like it. You know what? It's actually good.
And now I like it. You know what? It's actually really good.
GPS: Continue straight to stay on Salisbury Road.
The girls have called me to come upstairs
'cause they've found something in someone's room.
'cause they've found something While Nathan's still at work,
the lodge staff find a problem in his room.
It's never good when they call me on the phone
It's never good and I know they're in the building.
Oh...
Well, that's a illegal. Oh...
Well, that's a illegal. That's... Yeah.
So, it's a camera that's panning the room.
Which, for us, is a concern
because it's a protected space here, you know?
We'll have to go through everything now. Mm.
We'll have to go Yeah.
(OVERLAPPING CHATTER) This is very concerning.
(GASPS) $600 dress?! Yeah.
Alright. Things like this always concern us.
Alright. Anything that's got a tag on it.
So, what's that? So, you've got $1,000 worth of clothes,
women's clothes.
What's his income? It's, like, $840 a fortnight or something.
And that's before they take out rent and stuff, you know what I mean?
So...
Sometimes they do get stuff that's donated.
Not with the tag like that on them. Yeah.
Not expensive items of clothing like that.
How are you?
Yep. Yep. Thanks.
A few hours later Nathan is back from work.
I don't know. OK?
Yeah.
Have a seat, Nathan. Yep.
What's going on? Um...
The girls were upstairs
'cause they're looking to do new furniture.
We found about $1,000 worth of women's clothes with tags on them.
They're all from charities, so, it's just, like,
buying, like, second-hand stuff.
Like, you can have a look at it.
They're all from, like, just charity stuff.
So, this stuff here, my partner didn't want.
So, this stuff here, You can have a look on the camera.
I showed it to her the other weekend when she come up.
I showed it to her the other weekend She didn't like none of them.
So, I'm just gonna donate... She didn't like none of them.
So, I'm just gonna donate... So, who are you saying
So, I'm just gonna donate... you got them from?
So, you just buy them from charity stores.
Like, so, you can go to any of the charity stores...
Like, mate, you can go and have a look at any of the things there.
But normally the charity store won't leave the original...
Have a look, man - everything's 'Reduced, reduced, reduced'.
But, yeah, they're all in there because I'm gonna donate them back.
But, yeah, they're all in there That's why they're there.
You can understand...
Absolutely, and that's... ..my concern.
You don't find those sorts of things in those shops, Nathan.
Alright? It's quite simple. You don't find those sorts of things in those shops, Nathan.
Alright? It's quite simple.
Sorry. Can I just... Alright? It's quite simple.
Sorry. Can I just... Yeah, I'm just gonna...
Sorry. Can I just... You know...
They wouldn't be in the Salvos shop stalls like this.
And, I mean, I guess...
And if you did buy them, you wouldn't have paid...
No, they were down to, like, 15 bucks each.
It's just the price of them that's concerning.
I'll be honest,
we've had someone arrested here for doing this previously,
we've had someone arrested here so, like that's why...
Well, I'm not being silly. Like, we take it really seriously.
Mate, you can keep all that stuff
and you can look into everything you need to look into.
and you can look into everything It's an absolute dead-end.
I mean, they've got tags on them still.
100%. You don't find those in those shops.
Oh, obviously someone donated them in there.
And that's exactly what I was gonna do. I'm donating them back.
That's why they're in that bag.
Well, we're gonna keep them all here.
Well, we're gonna keep them Of course. Feel free.
I need to voice to you that I'm concerned.
I need to voice to you Alright?
Sorry for the inconvenience. No, no, that's alright.
No worries. Cheers.
(LAUGHTER, CHATTER OUTSIDE)
I could just tell by his reaction,
I could just tell you know, it's...
Yeah, he was churning inside. I could tell he was uncomfortable.
So, you know, I go...at a minimum, we're holding him accountable.
You know what I mean?
We're mandatory reporters, so, we can be criminally liable.
You know, I think it's up to $20,000 fine and two years in prison
for not informing the police of a potential committing of a crime.
Um...
I think it was a...
..the reason made sense that he had it all.
..the reason made sense It made sense.
Conveniently made sense.
I think.
Inconclusive...
(LAUGHTER) Inconclusive...
(LAUGHTER) ..would be the findings.
I'll see you guys later.
Reckon they'll slide out? I'll see you guys later.
Reckon they'll slide out? Yeah.
Got it? Yeah.
Oh!
All that gym work, Harry. What for?
MARK: Come on.
Here.
Come on.
Feeding the birds? Yeah.
Eh? Mad!
Mark Doyle and Trent Hagan are more used to life inside prison than out.
Mark Doyle and Trent Hagan are more I think it's...
Oh, yeah. There he is.
He's right under.
Huh. Ha!
Mark, you know, was put into care, into juvenile centres,
and taken from his parents at a very young age.
and taken from his parents You know, abused.
Trauma response.
And part of that was, you know, obviously...
..it's so painful they start drinking and taking drugs.
HARRY: What's the day today?
Monday.
Hey, Malachi. Hey, Harry.
How are you going with those mince?
Good. It's defrosting.
Yeah. Thanks, Harry. Thank you.
DENNY: Come here, actually. Might breathalyser you.
Yeah.
After two months at the lodge
Mark's feeling the pressure.
Caseworker Lucy Cook is worried.
Peace!
No.
LUCY: Mark tested positive
for some ice use and some marijuana this morning.
He was quite elevated
and we didn't want to trigger any of the other guys,
so, we asked him to maybe spend the day out and about
until it kind of wears off a little bit.
He's come back. He said he just needed
He's come back. to get something from his room.
And he's heading back out again.
So, we'll see. (DOOR OPENS, SHUTS)
Where did you say you were going? Just a walk. I don't know. Yeah.
Alright. Have you got your phone on you still?
Mark? Yeah.
You got it? Yeah.
You got it? Alright. I'll call you again soon.
Mm. Pretty... Pretty elevated and doesn't think that...
..there's much of an issue,
which we see all the time that they say,
which we see all the time "I'm fine, I'm totally fine."
And, you know, "I'm fine, I'm totally fine."
And, you know, you pretty much live with them,
so, you can tell immediately when something's off.
But Mark thinks he is killing it at the moment,
so, we'll see how he goes when he comes back.
I'll call him soon and see where he's at, keep an eye on him.
Excuse me, Lucy? Yeah?
Will I be able to get some milk, please?
Absolutely. Absolutely.
Oh, give me one second. Please.
The staff fear that one slip-up
can return these men to a spiral of more drug use and crime.
I think he went out for a walk. Sorry?
I think he went for a walk. Oh, did he?
Yeah. Alright.
Mm.
No.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
They've been using forever. (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
They've been using forever. Yeah.
They're out in the community. Things are gonna happen.
Mark says that he ran into someone in the city yesterday
who just offered it to him. Yeah.
So, it's not as simple as just saying no necessarily.
So... Yeah.
And, obviously, if it's a repeat,
like, if it's something that happens every day,
like, if it's something then that's a big problem.
If it's a one-off or if it's an every-so-often thing
or, you know...
It's very case-by-case. Yeah.
So, hopefully Mark comes back in a better state.
Days later
Mark's been caught again,
this time drinking.
The staff are deciding if they'll kick him out of the lodge.
Mm. And this is within a couple of days of each other.
Mm. And this is within CLAUDE: No, no.
Like, it's not been CLAUDE: No, no.
Like, it's not been a couple of weeks and he's...
Like, it's not been No. I know. Believe me.
(LAUGHS)
I've been thinking about it all night.
I know.
The pros and cons.
So, does someone want to grab Mark?
Only half the men who come to Rainbow Lodge
finish the three-month program.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Grab a seat, Lucy. Come on, Harry.
I want everyone here. (LAUGHS)
Oh, no.
No. I want everyone here, Mark, because it's not...this is, like...
You know, it's not a... It's not funny, I know.
I let you stay last night so you can have a think about it.
I let you stay last night But my thing is...
My concern is, like, But my thing is...
My concern is, like, what's gonna be different?
(SIGHS) Like, we've done every...
Because from our point of view, I'm not sure what else we can do.
You know?
I just, you know...
And, you know, if you are to stay...
..you know,
the simple thing would be there's no more chances.
No. I know. That's why I want my staff here.
There'll be no ringing Claude, you know?
There'll be no ringing Claude, So...
And you need to go to the meetings, whether it's NA or AA...
You know? Yeah.
You know? Because, I'll tell you, you know,
your saving grace
is that I'm worried your saving grace
is that I'm worried that if I exit you you'll die.
is that I'm worried Yeah. Thank you.
That's your saving grace, you know? Yeah. Yeah.
And I think jail is a good outcome for you if you're exited.
And I think jail is a good outcome You know, I think,
you know, you're at risk of dying.
You can't keep doing this, Mark.
I know. I know, Claude.
Yeah. Thank you.
OK. Alright. Cheers. Alright.
Thanks.
It's about you, though, Mark. It's not about me.
It's about you, though, Mark. Yeah, I know.
Ahh!
I'm just... If you can...
No, no, we're going. Two minutes and then we're going. Alright?
HARRY: I'm gonna go. I'll see you guys later.
HARRY: I'm gonna go. Two minutes.
(CHATTER, LAUGHTER)
Nick Pholi, aged 33, is also on bail.
He's pleaded guilty to armed robbery.
He's pleaded guilty Thank you!
Ah, he's back, eh?! How're you going?
Here at the lodge he gets access to programs
designed to help the men break with the past.
Nice big, loud voice.
Yeah? You feel confident enough?
Yeah? Excellent.
My name's Nicholas Pholi.
Proud Bundjalung man.
What brought me here? Um...
I'm sort of on my own journey.
We're all on our own individual journey, but, um...
Nick came to the lodge after a successful stint at rehab.
I'm actually at the lodge now, you know, which I'm pretty grateful for.
It's better than jail,
but, like, I'm actually It's better than jail,
but, like, I'm actually getting help here, you know?
And I'm connecting with my culture a bit more through this program.
Yeah, just learning a lot more about myself, I think.
Yeah, just learning Yeah. That's me, eh?
(APPLAUSE)
Whoo-hoo. Well done, fellas.
Well done, brother. Well done.
Excellent, excellent.
Well done.
It's a warm afternoon in mid-April.
The TV room is getting a long-overdue upgrade.
Mark is doing better.
He pitches in with his housemates.
Yeah, it's pretty good leather.
Four normal guys to do this?
One of me and one of Nick.
Argh...
No, we'll do that one last, we'll put it over here.
New South Wales spends $2 billion a year on prisons.
Less than half a percent of that money
goes to community programs like Rainbow Lodge.
It's a similar story across the country.
It's a similar story Is it a recliner?
Yes! Oh! (LAUGHS)
(LAUGHS)
Yep.
Oh! Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Oh! (LAUGHS)
Ohh...
Struck my nose. Oh, no.
You and that nose. Mm.
You alright? Yeah.
Show me. Yeah, I'm...
Show me. Ooh!
Let's get the rest in.
That's crazy, man.
Well, youse two are gonna have to do it.
Yeah. I just finished working, man.
A trip down the road and around the corner.
A trip down the road (CHUCKLES)
RONAN: Give us a look, mate. What have you done?
He's done himself a mischief.
(LAUGHTER) Agh, come on.
(LAUGHTER) Get the door, doorman!
Oh, jeez. Yep... (LAUGHS)
(GRUNTS)
CLAUDE: I'm just gonna go around and check the syringe containers.
Claude's hearing rumours someone is using drugs.
You know, the thing I find frustrating is, you know,
you spend all this time and go on about they want to change
and they want to get out and see their children and all this stuff,
and they want to get out and see and then they're not out two minutes
and they're, you know, wanting to use, if not using, drugs.
That part I find frustrating.
Yes. In the alleyway...
There's something going on. There's bad energy, though.
A suspected drug dealer has been spotted on CCTV.
Oh, there was a guy in a red jumper walking up the alleyway
Oh, there was a guy in a red jumper who's kind of lingered
and made eye contact with me who's kind of lingered
and made eye contact with me as he was walking up,
and made eye contact with me and he looked pretty sus.
RAYMOND: Dodgy? Dodgy.
Mate, he look as sus as anything. Doesn't look sus at all.
He comes in! Whoa!
What's the time? It's 9:07:20.
Righto, Mark. Righto, Nick.
Claude calls a house meeting.
Alright. I just want to speak to everyone.
Just in general. No-one in particular.
But I just want to be really clear.
In the last week
we've had two instances
of the safety of this facility being breached.
I've got the CCTV.
The neighbours have come to me.
They caught a person dropping drugs here yesterday.
They caught a person Alright?
So, I'll be really clear.
If you want to use, fuck off.
Stop being a coward.
Don't use in this facility and fuck it for everyone else.
Leave. Go on the run. Do whatever you want.
Leave. Go on the run. If you want to use, your choice.
But don't do it here
because you're screwing it everyone else
and you screw it for the guys that are waiting in custody.
and you screw it for the guys And I'm a bit sick of it.
So, I've got the CCTV footage,
so, it's not gonna take long till we find out who's doing it.
And I guarantee you there will be consequences.
And I guarantee you Alright? It just needs to stop.
Don't worry...
I just wanna roll these so I can have one here
and then I've got five for the drive.
A few days later staff think they've worked out who's using.
(KNOCKS)
Hey, can I open the door?
Come on.
What are you doing? Mm?
What are you doing? You alright?
Yeah. Gotta lay down.
Alright.
I'll let you know.
It is positive for pills, for opiates.
Oh, what am I talking about? It's positive for heroin.
Of course it is. What am I talking about? (CHUCKLES)
Of course it is. Yep. As we knew.
Here, I'll take a photo. Oh, can you put his initials on it for me?
Yeah. It's not too strong, but it's there.
Yeah. Yeah.
So, you look at the things...
Cocaine... So, it's opiates.
Nick now faces the very real prospect of returning to jail.
I'm just emailing his...
..lawyer in the DPP.
And the CCO.
See what happens.
(PHONE RINGS) Took it on the ads, so, yeah...
Hello. Claude speaking.
Hi. How are you going?
Oh, I've had better days. (CHUCKLES)
If we can get him into detox Oh, I've had better days. (CHUCKLES)
If we can get him into detox and he agrees to that,
If we can get him into detox you know, and comes back...
No, that's awesome.
Awesome.
Alright, champion, you're a legend.
Thanks, mate. See ya.
Nick.
It is.
Yeah. Alright.
Good morning! Morning!
Claude wants Nick to talk to the house.
Claude wants Nick Come over here, Nick, with me.
Everybody's...
No, no, because you need... We're here to stand with you.
You know we're here.
I'll tell you all the times.
You know? Yeah.
You know? Yeah. I'm...
I'll just apologise to you boys, eh? You know... Yeah. I'm...
I'll just apologise to you boys, eh? You know...
I don't mean to make it, like, any harder than it already has to be.
Like Claude said, you know, I'm struggling a little bit,
and I should reach out to you boys a little bit more, you know?
Yeah, I fuckin'...
Yeah, I've got to dig deep and try a lot harder, you know.
I don't want to go back to jail either. I want to stay.
You know, you're a good bunch of boys, you know.
Sorry if I made it harder for you fellas, you know,
doing what I've been doing here and...
I'll end with that. Alright.
Beautiful. Bro, it's hard to speak like that
in front of anyone, so, thank you for that.
in front of anyone, Yeah. That's right.
I know how difficult that is.
It's a big thing, bro. Thank you for saying that.
Nah, it is. I'm pulling for you too, bro.
Yeah.
Yeah. Thanks, everyone.
Cheers.
Good. Alright.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
How're you doing, my brother? You alright?
How're you doing, my brother? Reintegration. Reintegration.
Then you build confidence up
and you build, like, Then you build confidence up
and you build, like, a different purpose for yourself.
A week later Nick uses heroin again.
He's kicked out of the lodge.
It's a very different story for Nathan Schmalz.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Today he's hoping the district court
will allow him to vary his bail and move into his own apartment.
(CLACKS STICKS)
Judge is now entering.
Hey, Nathan.
Nathan's in a trial case management program
for Indigenous prisoners awaiting sentencing
called the Walama List.
Got your winter woollies on.
Judge Warwick Hunt removes his wig and comes off the bench.
Judge Warwick Hunt removes his wig Alright.
You look a bit tense today.
Yeah. Well, we can have a yarn.
Yeah. Alright?
The main point of discussion for today
will be Nathan's transition The main point of discussion for today
will be Nathan's transition
into his community housing.
And if somebody walked up to you on the street
and offered you a taste, And if somebody walked up to you on the street
and offered you a taste,
what's the strategy there?
My strategy is... Yeah.
..mate, I'd just be blatant and say,
"Mate, I've just come from this stuff.
"I've got 25 years of this stuff behind me.
"I've got 25 years of this stuff "Please don't insult me with that,"
and I'd just put distance between "Please don't insult me with that,"
and I'd just put distance between me and whoever that was politely.
But that'd be the strategy. Yeah.
The prosecutor is worried
about Nathan living full-time in the community unsupervised.
In terms of my Walama practice,
his offences...
..are, basically, in simple terms, the most serious.
The proposal for a few days
being a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday The proposal for a few days
being a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday while you're working,
and then the rest of the week at Rainbow,
obviously, I find that a lot more of an attractive proposition
than complete living on your own in the community,
than complete living on your own you know what I mean?
AUNTY BARBARA: I'd like to put the mob perspective on the table.
We are caught here between, you know, the Westminster system,
We are caught here between, between the Western legal culture
and what WE would do.
And it is one of the hard things for us to do in here,
isn't it, Aunty?
We want to see one of our people thrive,
and he's just received the tools to thrive.
So, when is the point that we're gonna let this man thrive?
That's all on the table. Everyone's heard that.
The judge decides to let Nathan live in his flat three nights a week.
The judge decides to let Nathan Down the track
he will formally sentence Nathan Down the track
he will formally sentence Nathan for his crimes.
At that point he could still be sent back to jail.
Keep ticking those boxes. Thanks very much.
Keep ticking those boxes. OK. Thank you very much.
(BIRDS TWITTER, SQUAWK)
The following week he moves in.
It's a natural happiness, you know what I mean?
I'm not taking some sort of artificial form of happiness.
I'm not taking some sort It comes from in here and up here,
and it's a good feeling.
If I sit there and say, "Oh, it's gonna be all rainbows and unicorns,"
that's bullshit, that's not what it's gonna be.
that's bullshit, You know? I'm facing jail time.
Like, that's the reality of my situation.
Like, that's the reality And if I don't take this opportunity
and don't show that, you know,
the 20 years of shit that I've been doing has stopped,
just a normal member of society,
then I don't have a chance, I'll be back in jail.
Mark Doyle wants a future too.
The crimes of his past never leave him.
You know what I mean?
But...
Yeah.
(BIRDS SQUALL)
(TRAFFIC DRONES) (DOOR SHUTS)
(TRAFFIC DRONES) (INSECTS CHIRP)
No-one can rebuild a life on their own.
When I sat down the other day with Mark, I could see in his eyes,
you know, that... and I connected with that -
"If Claude gives up on me, then I'm fucked. I'm gone."
Time and again the evidence has shown
that if we make the choice to help these men
far fewer will reoffend and we're all safer.
Take it easy, mate. Take it easy, eh?
(LAUGHTER)
(INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE)
You know, that connection of one human to another
sometimes is all we need to cross over that precipice.
In a country that's recorded
one of the highest reconviction rates in the world,
Rainbow Lodge poses a fundamental question for us all.
What's the harm in giving someone a second chance?
What's the harm You know, I...
I can always exit someone,
but I may never be able to get them back.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Hey, Marley... That's Denny's. That's Denny's.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) (CUTLERY AND DISHES CLACK)
(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
Captions by Red Bee Media
Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation Captions by Red Bee Media
Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation