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SBS Australia
an hour ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Too many: 602 Indigenous deaths in custody since the royal commission
Warning: this article includes the names of Aboriginal people who have passed and distressing content. When Senator Lidia Thorpe first entered Parliament she carried a message stick with 441 notches on it - each marking the death in custody of a First Nations person since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody. Today, five years later, she carried that same message stick into the Senate. It has 602 notches. The Parliament today supported a motion from Senator Thorpe calling for urgent national action on the crisis of First Nations deaths in custody, following the passing of 24-year-old Kumanjayi White in Mparntwe/Alice Springs in May. 'Kumanjayi White should be alive today," the Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung woman said. "He was a young, disabled man who needed care and support, not restraint and force. His death is a national shame. "We are in the middle of a crisis. First Peoples continue to die in custody at horrifying rates. "There have been at least 17 deaths this year alone and still no government has fully implemented the Royal Commission's recommendations after more than three decades." Senator Thorpe's motion followed the release of the latest Closing the Gap data overnight, which shows rates of incarceration and suicide of First Peoples continue to worsen. "This motion extends the Senate's deepest sympathies to his family, to the Yuendumu community, to the families of the 17 First Peoples who have died in custody this year, and to the families of all those who have died since the 1991 Royal Commission," she said. These are not just statistics; they are sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, cousins, siblings, grandchildren – lost to a system that continues to harm our people. Her motion received support from crossbench and Labor parliamentarians in both the Senate and House of Representatives and Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Senator Kerrynne Liddle. Labor Senator Murray Watt said it was unacceptable that 602 First Nations people had died in custody since the royal commission. "The royal commission was clear that the best way to reduce First Nations deaths in custody is to reduce the high incarceration rate of First Nations people, including through social and economic responses, which the evidence shows can reduce crime, change the course of lives, and avoid people coming into contact with the police or justice system in the first place," he said. "This is what the Commonwealth Government is focusing on, including through the national agreement on Closing the Gap." Senator Watt said the Albanese Government was investing in First Nations-led justice reinvestment initiatives (where money that would be spent on prisons is, instead, invested in early intervention and diversionary programs) and called on the states and territories to do more. Senator Liddle and Senator Watt both extended condolences to Kumanjayi White's family and Yuendumu community. "His grieving family deserve answers," Senator Liddle said. "Australians, too, deserve answers. "The recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody released in 1991 outlined what needed to be done. "Indigenous Australians were disproportionately incarcerated, and they were also over represented in deaths in custody. "The Royal Commission report was a blueprint for change. "Change then was necessary; 34 years later, the job is still not done." Greens Leader Larissa Waters and independent Senator David Pocock also both spoke in favour of Senator Thorpe's motion. "We stand in solidarity with the Yuendumu and Warlpiri communities," Senator Waters said. "We join their calls for justice, and we echo the family's demand for an independent investigation, for the officers involved to be stood down, for the release of CCTV and body camera footage, and for the Northern Territory police to apologise for and cease publicly criminalising Kumanjayi White in their statements." Senator Thorpe called for unity and said the issue of First Nations deaths in custody was not about politics but about compassion. "The families of those who've died at the hands of the system need justice, not excuses," she said. "They need truth, accountability, and support to navigate a legal system that continues to fail us. "Ending deaths in custody – which are this country's great shame – must be a priority for this Labor government, they have the power to act now." Senator Thorpe said, while the support for her motion across the Parliament was encouraging, it must be backed up with action. "First Peoples have waited 34 years since the royal commission for action," she said. "Together, we can get this done."
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Search for missing 26-year-old man outside of Alice Springs enters third day
Northern Territory Police have covered 500 square kilometres of Central Australian desert terrain in search for a man who has been missing since Monday. In a statement, a spokesperson said NT Police held "serious concerns" for the welfare of 26-year-old Gach, who has not been seen or heard from for three days. Gach was last seen leaving his Alice Springs home at 3:30pm Monday and later talked to his family on the phone at 5:30pm. He then failed to show at work for a rostered shift on Monday night. On Tuesday morning police found Gach's red Mazda CX5 on Larapinta Drive, 14.5 kilometres west of John Flynn's Grave Historical Reserve, on the outskirts of Alice Springs. Search Coordinator Acting Sergeant Chris Grotherr said search efforts for the 26-year-old had been "extensive, with significant contributions from local resources". "These efforts will continue into day three," he said. Police have described Gach as a 6-foot-tall man of Sudanese appearance with a lean build and short curly hair. He was last seen wearing a red or orange puffer jacket, cream-coloured tracksuit pants and dark-coloured runners. The search, centred about 21 kilometres west of Alice Springs, has covered more than 500 sqm with teams on foot and using all-terrain vehicles, drones and helicopter support. It has included over 50 people from local police units, NT Emergency Services, NT Fire and Rescue Service and Parks and Wildlife NT. Anyone who may have seen Gach around Larapinta Drive, Standley Chasm or Simpsons Gap on Monday evening, or may know his whereabouts, is urged to contact police.
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Lidia Thorpe puts forward motion on ‘shameful' deaths in custody numbers
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe put forward a motion in the Senate Thursday morning, extending sympathies to the families of the 17 First Nations people who have died in custody this year, including 24-year-old Warlpiri man Kumanjayi White who died in May after being restrained by officers at an Alice Springs supermarket. The motion coincides with the release of the latest Closing the Gap report, which revealed only four of 19 targets were on track to be met by 2031. Thorpe also spoke of the impact on her family after the death of her cousin, Joshua Kerr, a 32-year-old Yorta Yorta and Gunaikurnai man who died in custody in August 2022
ABC News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Indigenous disadvantage worsening
Andy Park: Out of 19 Closing the Gap targets, only four are on track to be met. Closing the Gap is an Australian government initiative focused on improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. But the Productivity Commission's annual report on the targets confirms that rates of adult incarceration, children in out-of-home care, suicide and childhood development can continue to worsen. The NT is even going backwards more than any other jurisdiction. The Indigenous Affairs Team's James Vyver reports. James Vyver: A group of young Indigenous men play pool at the BushMob Community Outreach Program in Alice Springs. Running since 1999, Bush Mob take young Indigenous Australians out on country as part of rehab and recovery from substance abuse. Jock Macgregor: The young people talk about connection to culture, feeling the connection to something other than the systems that they're seeing day to day. James Vyver: Jock Macgregor is the CEO of the Aboriginal corporation that runs BushMob. They work with kids between 10 and 18 years old. The country Liberal Party in the NT won government in 2024 with a tough-on-crime platform. Since then it's made sweeping changes to the justice system, including lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10. Jock Macgregor: OK, well if you're going to lock up more people, does that mean that you're going to support more people when they're locked up? So there'll be more access to services while people are locked up. James Vyver: The Finocchiaro government has also made changes to bail laws, updated some minimum sentences and introduced new offences. Selwyn Button: You can't actually arrest your way out of an issue. James Vyver: Selwyn Button from the Productivity Commission. Its annual Closing the Gap report shows the NT going backwards on eight of its 15 measurable targets, including youth detention and adult imprisonment. Selwyn Button: We certainly can see the direct correlation between the legislative change that's happened in the Northern Territory to the direct outcomes in terms of increasing numbers of incarceration rates. James Vyver: Today's Closing the Gap figures adds a data point to growing criticism of the NT's approach. Katie Kiss: The situation in the Northern Territory is a disaster waiting to happen. James Vyver: Katie Kiss is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission. Katie Kiss: Each of those targets that are under the Closing the Gap agreement represent a human rights violation. We've heard recent data about 400 children being locked up in watch houses. That's not by mistake, that is by design. James Vyver: Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, said in a statement that it's important that state and territory governments all back in their commitments under the national Closing the Gap agreement. This week the NT will introduce legislation to reinstate spit hoods, remove detention as a last resort provisions in the courts and allow young people's previous offences to be considered when being sentenced. Its government says the new laws will make communities safer, uphold victims' rights and address community concerns about repeat offenders. But Jock Macgregor with BushMob says addressing crime as a singular issue won't work to fix the NT's systemic problems. Jock Macgregor: Everything is linked together. The system itself is not good but we keep trying to work within it and doing our best. Andy Park: Jock Macgregor from BushMob ending James Vyver's report there.
ABC News
a day ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Domestic violence workers criticise NT government's response to inquest into deaths of Aboriginal women
Domestic violence prevention advocates have described the NT government's criticism of a landmark coronial report into the deaths of four Indigenous women as hurtful, disappointing and distressing. Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the names and images of Indigenous people who have died, used with the permission of their families. Coroner Elisabeth Armitage's final report into the NT's domestic violence epidemic was delivered in November last year. Specifically, the coroner investigated the deaths of Kumarn Rubuntja, Kumanjayi Haywood, Ngeygo Ragurrk and Miss Yunupiŋu, with the inquiry taking more than a year. Judge Armitage made 35 recommendations, including calls for increased funding for frontline emergency service responses, women's shelters and men's behavioural change programs. When tabling the government's response on Tuesday, Domestic Violence Prevention Minister Robyn Cahill said the coroner's recommendations were overall "uninspiring", and said the report "failed dismally to hit the mark". She said the government would support 21 recommendations in full, 11 in principle, and reject three. She also claimed 24 of the 35 recommendations related to programs or processes already in place. Domestic violence researcher Chay Brown, who was friends with Ms Rubuntja before she was murdered in front of Alice Springs Hospital, said she was saddened by Ms Cahill's comments. "I feel very sad about it and I think that's because Kumarn Rubuntja was a friend and a colleague of mine," she said. "She's dearly loved and incredibly missed and so to hear Minister Cahill describe the coronial inquest into her death as uninspiring, as failing to deliver, as being dismal — that was incredibly hurtful." Dr Brown also said Ms Cahill's response had caused harm to the families of the four women. "[They] gave so generously to that whole [coronial] process," she said. "That's what has been forgotten, is that at the heart of the inquest were four women who were loved. "Those four families … who travelled to Darwin, who spoke up, whose voices have been silenced because of the government response. Dr Brown said she and the four families supported the coroner and appreciated the inquest process. "I refuse to allow the process to be undermined by a few ill-thought-through words and hurtful comments in parliament that came about political point-scoring and shifting blame and taking cheap shots," she said. "I refuse to let the process be undermined by that." Ana Aitcheson, the chief executive of Darwin women's shelter Dawn House, said the government's response "came as quite a surprise" given the sector was initially hopeful the inquest would lead to genuine reform. "We saw it as an opportunity for us to all truly work together and really create change in this space," she said. In a joint statement, a group of frontline domestic, family and sexual violence services said none of them had been given notice the government planned to table its response to the coronial inquest on Monday. NT Council of Social Services (NTCOSS) chief executive Sally Sievers said this meant family members of the deceased were unable to attend. "There was no notice so those families couldn't be brought together," she said. If you need help immediately call emergency services on triple-0 Ms Sievers also said the sector was disappointed by an overall lack of consultation regarding the government's response to the coroner's report. "We've got 35-odd members who work in this sector and they just haven't been part of this process," she said. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday morning, Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby insisted the government had been working with the sector. "I do refute the allegation that we haven't been consulting with that sector," she said. "Not only has Minister Cahill been out speaking to many of them over the last 11 months … I, too, meet with them."
