Lidia Thorpe claims NT Chief Minister ‘complicit' in genocide amid ire over deaths in custody
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has accused the Northern Territory's chief minister of being 'complicit in the ongoing genocide' of Indigenous Australians.
The claim came after two men recently died in police custody in the Top End, sparking ire across the country.
Senator Thorpe said on Tuesday 'there's no trust in the Northern Territory Police Force'.
'We know that they have systemic racism,' she told the ABC.
'We know through the Kumanjayi Walker inquest that the Northern Territory Police are racist, so families do not trust the Northern Territory Police and we need federal leadership.
'We need the feds to step in here.'
There have been calls, including from Indigenous Affairs Minister Malindiri McCarthy, for an external review of deaths in NT Police custody.
But Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has pushed back, instead saying she trusted the Territory's police to review itself.
'I think that shows how out of touch the Northern Territory Chief Minister is and that she is complicit in the ongoing genocide against our people,' Senator Thorpe said.
Pressed on what grounds she was making the claim, Senator Thorpe said Ms Finocchiaro was playing a role in the system that causing 'ongoing harm of our people'.
'The definition of genocide, according to the Geneva Convention, is causing harm to a group of people,' she said.
'The ongoing killings of our people in custody is ongoing harm of our people.
'The incarceration rates of our people, particularly in the Northern Territory, particularly of our children, is an act of genocide.
'The stealing of children and putting them in with white families is an act of genocide.
'So we meet all the definitions of genocide and I've certainly seen that over my time.'
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News.com.au
30 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Mum Jodie Carter shares agonising letters to bullied 12-year-old son Hamish after his suicide
Jodie Carter wishes she could have dragged the children who taunted and teased her 12-year-old son into the morgue to see his lifeless, bruised body so they could fully grasp the horrible reality of bullying. The Sydney mum makes no apologies for her brutal honesty, believing it's the only way children will ever really understand words can be deadly. 'The pain of seeing his little body at the coroners was indescribable,' she writes in her letters to her boy who died in December 2022 near his home in southern Sydney. 'I screamed and yelled and swore and cried. It just hurt so much. My beautiful little boy, lying on a hospital trolley. His arms covered because I know underneath them that he's all bruised and cut and broken.' Ms Carter wrote letters to her son Hamish every day for the first year after his passing. In them, she shares her most debilitating pain and her struggles to navigate the mundane reality of life without her son. 'It was helpful to me, as it felt like I was actually talking to him and was able to get some of my frustration and anger at losing him to of my system,' Ms Carter told 'I stopped after a year because it was hard going'. Sometimes they are almost impossible to read. Ms Carter hopes the diary entries – which now fill up several notebooks – will help others as much as they help her. 'I hope that one day I will find a way to use my letters to Hamish so that they raise awareness and stop another young child from being bullied,' she told 'I can't bring him back but I can fight for change. That's my calling now.' Ms Carter today shares extracts of her first six months of writing to her Darling Hamey. 20 December 2022 Tragedy, Hamey passed away yesterday. The worst thing I ever could imagine would happen ...we are devastated. I'm numb, empty, sad, angry. 21 December 2022 The pain of seeing his little body at the coroners was indescribable I screamed and yelled and swore and cried. It just hurt so much. My beautiful little boy lying on a f**king hospital trolley. His arms covered because I know underneath them that he's all bruised and cut and broken. There was blood on his head and a big hole in his skull and his head was soaked and stiff from the blood. His lips were blue and bruised. His little hands were all cut. Bruises and abrasions on each side of his face. My little darling. I thought I saw his eye start to open and I was just imagining it. I kept calling his name Hamey, Hamey, Hamey. He didn't want to die. I know he didn't want to die. Those kids pushed him and they will live a very hard life for what they have done. I want them to see what they have done to my beautiful little boy. See how hurt he was and that he spent a night in the cold in the bush, and I don't know if he died straight away or if he died slowly and painfully while I was sleeping not 50 mtrs up the road and unaware. I feel so guilty for not being there to save him and not stopping him. We went to bed at 10pm ish and he walked down the stairs towards me. The last thing I got to say to him was 'do you think your taller than me?' He stepped down to my level and I said 'not quite buddy' and gave him a hug. He just stood there and I said 'hug me back Hame' He patted me on the back. I'm pretty sure and I really hope that I kissed him on the forehead and said I love you. Then I went to bed and said 'don't stay up too late' then the nightmare began. Christmas Day 2022 Its been 6 days since Hamey passed. Our first Christmas without him and so soon after he left us. Its been a sad, but OK day. We opened all the presents he had given us and also opened his presents. He got lots of PS5 stuff. Headphones and games and memorabilia. We will set up as part of a shrine for him of his cool stuff. We didn't eat any usual Christmas food, just the fruit and some nibbles we already had here. Todd asked Barney if he would take Hamish's coffin on the Harley side car like a bikie funeral. We all think its pretty cool and would be happy for that to happen to get him to the church. Steve, Todd and Phil may ride their bikes in with him as a motorcade. We all think he will love it as he really enjoyed going on the bikes with Steve when they did their big ride. We all had a few tears this morning. Steve and I have been chatting to Hamey. When we finished opening the presents the lights flickered. I believe it was Hamish. 28 December 2022 Yesterday was pretty hard. You kind of float around just trying not to feel anything. Then visitors turn up and you are distracted for a bit. I woke up yesterday absolutely soaked in sweat. I had to wash all my doonah and mattress protector, pillows, everything was awful. In the afternoon Kam, Mya and I sat on the lounge and coloured in and read etc. I was trying to think of things for Ham's end of life celebration. Some funny, meaningful memories. I started to look at photos and both Kam and I just cried and cried. He was and is so little and so cute. There was so much life to live and I'm angry and devastated at his loss, why, why, why. I just want him back. 31 December 2022 The last day of the year. I don't even know how to describe what I'm feeling. I dreamt about Hamish this morning. We were at a toy shop. He found something he liked and opened it up and was showing it to me. That is all I remember. I just feel sad. We have been at Steve's for 3 days now with the dogs. Its time to go home. We have to take Hamish's clothes to the funeral home today. That is upsetting too. I know I want to put him in his hoodie and trackies. I'm struggling writing his eulogy. He was so little and I want to write positive things, but keep thinking of sad things. I also keep seeing him looking at me on the Sunday the day before. He came down to see me and just looked at me with this sad face. Why didn't I grab him and hug him and hold him tight and tell him how much I loved him. Instead I said 'Whats up Buddy' and he said 'F**k you' and walked away. What the hell did I do so wrong. Reading through all the emails I sent to the police. I said so many times about how sad he was and I did take him to counselling but I didn't take him to the doctors. He said he didn't need medication, he was fine. So now I have this huge guilt feeling. How will that ever go away? 1 January 2023 Michael the celebrant came today to talk to us through Hamish's service. He is lovely and it was very helpful to have him explain the whole process so patiently. I have taken lots of notes and now Kam and Cha and I have some focus on what needs to be done. Kam is writing a speech now and Charli wants to write one too. The hard part now is getting the right song. (we ended up selecting 'Free Bird' by Lynyrd Skynyd for him to be carried in with. Then 'Wish You Were Here' Pink Floyd and the 'Little Wonders' song by Rob Thomas that always made us all cry when we watched the Movie ' Meet the Robinsons, that Hamish loved so much'. The song to carry him out too was 'Nothing else matters' by Metallica. That's exactly how we felt. 3 January 2023 We visited Hamish at the funeral home … I held his hands, they were so cold to touch. My hands eventually warmed his. He didn't really look like himself. His face had bruises. His little nose was bruised and his forehead. His hair was really soft. He had his hoodie on. His little hands were crossed over his belly. We gave him some notes and stayed with him for a while. I gave him a mug and some hot chocolate and marshmallows and his sunglasses and his dream catcher and a soft monkey and soft dog. It was very sad. I kissed his forehead and put my forehead on his. It was so cold I watched the candle flickering and hoped it was a sign from him. 13 January 2023 Today was a hard day. I woke up OK and I felt all right for a bit. The counsellors came today at 10am. We all got a bit teary talking to them about our story. We had to take Charli to work and I made Kam go with me as Cha wanted to go to Big W. I kept my eyes down and felt instantly sad when we walked in. All the back to school stuff was out and it hurt thinking that I wont be getting. 18th January 2023 Dear Hamey, Today Kam and I picked up your ashes from Woronora Crematorium it was quite surreal. Yet another thing we had to face up to doing that we just don't want to do. Not want to as in we don't want to collect your ashes Hamish, we want you. We want you more than anything. We are all so devastated by you leaving us. Love Mum xxxxx 25 January 2023 Darling Hamey, its been a hard couple of days for all of us. Yesterday I spent half the day in tears. I had to collect your death certificate from the post office. The cause of death it said was multiple injuries. What parent ever wants to read that! Love Mum xxxx 26th January 2023 Dear Hamey, it was Australia Day today. Super hot and our aircon has broken down. Its getting fixed next weekend. Kammy and I had a few tears this morning. Kam dreamt about you, so she woke up sad. She said it was a nice dream though. Lots of love Mum xxxx 30 January 2023 Dear Hamey, tonight Kam, Cha and Mya and I had to go through the list of places to visit for tours for our big Europe trip. You know, you're coming too. We are taking your ashes or some of them so we can sprinkle you around a bit so you still get to go to the places I wanted you to visit. Ireland, London, Rome, Greece and Disneyland Paris and some cool theme parks that Kam has selected for you in Dubai. Perhaps we will put some of your ashes in a satchel or locket so we can just carry you around as well as leaving some for you to enjoy those places. I have to reply to Andy the detective tomorrow he has given us another update on their research and he says bullying did contribute to your passing. Which makes me so sad and angry. We will work to getting some sort of laws in your honour Hamey. We miss you darling. Lots of love Mum xxxxx 4th Feb 2023 Dear Hamey, Hi darling. I miss you heaps!!!. We had the aircon installed today. It works really well and you would love it. The man wanted to check the air in your room and he asked if anyone was in there. I said no you can go in. He still knocked at your door before he entered and I said 'its OK there is no one in there' which must makes me feel ill that you're not here. Its like the movies where no one touches the room of the child who died. Its exactly as you left it. I was looking for a frame today for your photo that we had on the mantle. I found the frames and some photos of you at preschool. That made me so sad. You are such a gorgeous boy, so spunky and I'm devastated, heartbroken you are not here. I'm just existing at the moment. Going through the motions and still loving your sisters. I would do anything to have you back. We all miss you darling Love mum xxxxxxx 8 February 2023 Dear Hamey, I've had too much to drink tonight. I'm sure you would have the shits with me. When I drove into work this morning I drove past a tall skinny boy in trackies like yours and he just looked like you and I started to cry and had to breathe. Like really breathe to pull myself together to get to work. Got through the day and the second I got in the car Guns N Roses came on 'Sweet Child O Mine' and I was crying again and couldn't stop and just cried all the way home. When I got home Mr Meagher had left your art folder at the front door. So I looked through that and cried again. Said hi to Charli and kept crying. Went out to water the garden and cried. Kam came home and I cried. So a shit night and I drank lots of wine. Cooked a shit dinner and watched a shit show on telly and I'm in bed now. Hopefully I'll sleep better cos I'm so tired. I miss you darling. Love Mum xxxxxx 15 February 2023 Dear Hamey Smoo, its your birthday tomorrow. The girls and I have been feeling pretty sad today thinking about it. What a strange and upsetting thing to go through. I keep seeing your gorgeous smile. I still walk up the stairs everyday and look in the PlayStation room for you. Your door is always closed and I try to rush past and not look at it or think about it too much. I still have a pile of your clean clothes in my bedroom that I cant really bring myself to do anything with. I don't really like being upstairs much. I only really come up to say goodnight to the girls and sleep. Then I'm running away. Kam and I had a few drinks tonight and Cha and the dogs hung out while we watered the garden. We all miss you, we are all sad. We will go up to dads in the morning and go on the ride and celebrate or rather commemorate your birthday. We love you and miss you so much darling. Lots of love mum xxxxxxx 18 March 2023 Darling Hamey, hi baby. Shit tomorrow is 3 months since you have passed. Well since we found out. According to the coroner you died before midnight on the 18th December. F**k Hamish, f**k f**k f**k I'm so f**king shitty about this whole thing. That bloody friend of yours that never told anyone. I wonder how she is feeling now. How are they all feeling? Little shits. 1 April 2023 Darling Hamey, a pinch and a punch for the 1st of the month. Oh boy how did this happen. 1⁄4 of the year is gone already. You have been gone for 3 months and 12 days. Its not been easy my darling boy. I took the dogs for a walk today. It was so much cooler, so we went a bit further than usual. My light is flickering beside my bed. I've been watching a thing on You Tube about signs from Angels. One of them is lights flickering. So I'm going to assume it's a message from you. What I was going to tell you was that I went down to your memorial again today. I didn't cry this time though. I was very calm. Some little birds flew over to say hello and pottered around in the top of the tree. I was thinking I should bring you something. Like the movie Under the Tuscan Sun and the old man takes flowers everyday to a memorial. Anyway I'm pretty sure you haven't seen that movie. I must make the girls watch it before we go away. Hamey darling please can you help bring me a miracle so we can go away. At the moment it feels like such an effort to get the money. I pray things will turn around soon and we can move forward. I miss you darling. Lots of love mum xxxxxxx 5 April 2023 Darling Hamey, hi my little precious. Did you come grocery shopping with me and the girls tonight? I hadn't really done a proper grocery shop with a trolley at Aldi in weeks/months it feels. When we were packing the bags at the car I had this pang of sadness of you and that here we are just shopping and packing the car and there is nothing in there for you. None of your cheese pizzas or chip snacks. You wont be home when we get home and I'm yelling at you to come down and help unload the car and show you what we got for you. Such a weird feeling Hamey. When you catch yourself doing something normal and you're going with the flow and then you realise your not there. Its really upsetting. 23 April 2023 Darling Hamey, hi baby it's Sunday night. I finally finished my statement for Andy today and emailed it through. I held it together for ages and was very mature about the whole thing. Removing my nasty remarks and blame and swear words. Basically it came down to you being bullied all those years and the damage it did to you and building up over the years. I wish I had taken you out of school. I wish I had taken you to different counsellors or psychologists and most of all I wish you were still here. I still think (name removed) should have handled the situation better and not put you in with the bullies and instead protected you more. Instead of thinking you were a trouble maker. Anyway I have sent it off now and I will follow up with Andy during the week. I also typed up quite a few more of my letters to you. I'm getting quite a collection together. It's hard reading back through them. They do make me cry. I miss you so much darling. Lots of love mum xxxxxxxxx 13th May 2023 Darling Hamey, hi baby. It my first Mother's Day without you tomorrow. You know what I thought I will wear my bracelet that has the little angel message on it from you. So that was comforting I had something special. Today I was trying to find Kamryn's birth certificate as Gada needs it to cancel our holiday to Europe. So sad anyway I couldn't find her birth cert. I was looking everywhere for it. Which lead me to finding more of your things. So that's quite lovely as I now have a cute little note I found from you that says 'Dear Mum, I love you, from Hamish' and it has a lovely drawing you did of you and me. So that was such a nice find and I have stuck it up on my desk. I also then found your hair from your first haircut and the little umbilical clip they put on you when you were first born. It was in your baby health book – which I never even filled anything in. 15 June 2023 Darling Hamey, gorgeous boy!! I wonder what your doing. Tonight I got home an came up to my bedroom to change into my daggy trackies so I could cuddle the dogs. I noticed your sheep that is in my room was on the floor. I'm sure he was sitting on the chair this morning. I wonder how he moved. Was it you? Maybe I should ask Charli and see if it was her. 18th June 2023 Darling Hamey, hi baby. Its been a really sad day today. It's 6 months since you left us. Which has brought up intense memories and sadness all day. I have pretty much cried all day and now again thinking of you and just feeling awful. I took the dogs to your memorial again and we stood there for a while and looked out. My heart actually hurt Hamey. I could feel it aching. Missing you and loving you so much and wanting you back so badly darling. Man it f**king hurts so much. Its like I'm just re-living everything and its so painful. I was trying to think of an excuse for something to say tomorrow at work when we talk about the weekend or just what's on our mind, because I don't want to say its 6 months since you went away because I will start crying again and feel terrible. I'll get through the day and come home and feel sad again then no doubt. F**king hell darling, so much to deal with and feel sad about. I would do anything to have you back Hamey. I miss you so much. Lots of love mum xxxxxxxx 19th June 2023 Darling Hamey, well that's it Hame another f**ked up milestone. 6 months to the date we found you had left us. The coroner said you had passed before midnight on the 18th. Even writing that sentence makes me feel sick Hamish. Just sick and sad and it hurts. Today Andy sent a note to say he is about to submit your report to the coroner. I reminded him it was 6 months today and he said he couldn't imagine how we must feel as it had been challenging for him to write the report and he had to give himself breaks away from it. I think I have a headache now. I want to see the report. Then its just going to bring it all flooding back again. When I write to you its just day by day. Having to go back through everything is heart wrenching. I know this because I have been putting off typing up your story from the notebooks and now I'm going to be weeks behind. I will have to make an effort to do that Hamey.
ABC News
42 minutes ago
- ABC News
Dorinda Cox accuses Greens of racism in scathing resignation letter
In a fiery resignation letter, ex-Greens senator Dorinda Cox has accused her former party of racism and ignoring serious claims she raised, including disputed allegations of an assault at Perth Airport by a party member. The senator also denied in her letter ever bullying others, contrary to reporting, adding she herself had suffered an "unremitting" campaign of bullying over the past 18 months. Senator Cox spectacularly defected to Labor last week after sitting as a Greens senator for the past four years. Announcing her move to Labor, Senator Cox said her values were more aligned with the government — though it prompted calls from Greens senators to hand back the seat and left party leader Larissa Waters "disappointed". The Greens revoked Senator Cox's membership last week, after her announcement. In a formal resignation letter, Senator Cox said she was no longer bound by confidentiality obligations, and could put on the record how the Greens had "failed [her] as its last First Nations MP, and continue to fail First Nations people". "In my experience, the Greens tolerate a culture that permits violence against First Nations women within its structures. In this respect, the party is deeply racist," she wrote. "My reports to the party and parliamentary workplace services range from being assaulted at Perth Airport by a party member, which was ignored (indeed, I was advised not to report it to police), to incidents involving my staff who were isolated by the state and other MPs offices." The Greens have disputed that account. Senator Cox and former ACT candidate Tjanara Goreng Goreng reportedly made complaints against each other to police in 2023 after an altercation at Perth Airport over the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Dr Goreng Goreng denied those claims she harassed or assaulted the senator to The Guardian, and has been contacted by the ABC. The senator also named incidents of rumours being shared within Greens networks as examples of a "toxic culture", where the party had sought to quiet her rather than address issues. "Recently, my children were approached by a former staff member who had publicly made serious allegations about me at a Greens event. This type of mobbing made its way into 'moderated' online meeting chats and the widely circulated meeting minutes of the [Australian Greens First Nations Network]. "The Greens failed in their duty of care for my staff and me, and disregarded the reported and obvious impact of what was occurring. The focus was solely on winning seats," she wrote. Ms Waters's office only learned of the complaint after being contacted by the ABC. In a statement, a Greens spokesperson disputed the claims by Senator Cox. "These claims are disappointing, unrepresentative of the support Senator Cox received and ignore the substantive work undertaken by the party to find a resolution to the complaints made both by and against Senator Cox, and to address the breakdown in her relationship with Greens' First Nations members," the spokesperson said. "The Greens are an anti-racism party, and pushing a senator to take complaints seriously is not bullying. "As the [Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission] and [Parliamentary Workplace Support Service] are the bodies created by parliament to address complaints from staff, they can continue to investigate ongoing matters. This is unchanged by the senator's decision to move to a party that continues to destroy First Nations cultural history through approving coal and gas projects." The ABC has been told former Greens leader Adam Bandt's office was closely involved in finding a resolution to the airport matter, but the other matters raised in Senator Cox's letter were unknown to the party and not understood to have been previously raised with the leader's office. Senator Cox suggested despite her internal struggles she had maintained her professionalism and loyalty to the party, but after the election lost confidence that her concerns would be addressed. The Greens senator apologised late last year after several bullying complaints in her office were reported in the Nine newspapers, citing "challenging conditions both political and personally", but added the reporting was missing context. In her letter, Senator Cox said, contrary to reporting, at the time of her leaving the Greens there were no "grievances" pending against her in the party's conflict resolution process and that none had been put to her during her time as a senator. "I have faced an unremitting campaign of bullying and dishonest claims over the last 18 months," Senator Cox said. Ex-Greens senator Lidia Thorpe claimed last week that she still had an active complaint against her former colleague that had sat unresolved for three years. A former staffer to Senator Cox told the ABC she was "deeply surprised" and "offended" by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's suggestion that complaints against Senator Cox had been dealt with. That staffer, who worked for Senator Cox for six weeks in 2024, said her brief time in the office had left her traumatised. Mr Albanese has repeatedly insisted the complaints have been examined and are in the past. An internal investigation by the WA Greens into complaints raised against Senator Cox has been dropped now that she has left the party. Senator Cox concluded her letter saying she was now free to do the role she was elected to do by the people of WA, and she remained focused on delivering "tangible outcomes for First Nations peoples and other Australians".
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Tasmanians left in limbo until week's end as governor considers election request
Tasmanians could have to wait until the end of the week to find out if the state is off to another election. Premier Jeremy Rockliff met with the state's governor, Barbarba Baker, at Government House on Tuesday evening to request an election after suffering defeat in a no-confidence motion. But a statement released by Government House shortly after the meeting said the governor needed more time. "Following their conversation, Her Excellency is now taking the time necessary to give due consideration to all available options," the statement reads. By the end of the week the Premier will meet with Her Excellency again. Further statements will be made in due course." Mr Rockliff also released a brief statement. "I respect the need for Her Excellency to take the appropriate time to consider important matters of state," it reads. "I remain committed to serving the people of Tasmania." Two alternative options to an election emerged during the week after the no-confidence motion. Mr Rockliff could have been replaced by another Liberal leader who could then seek the confidence of parliament, but this option was repeatedly knocked back by Mr Rockliff and members of the partyroom. The other option was for Labor leader Dean Winter to attempt to form minority government, which would require the support of the Greens, but he also rejected this. Parliament was recalled on Tuesday to pass emergency budget supply bills to ensure public servants get paid during and after an election campaign. This was delayed, after an "8" instead of a "6" was written in a funding line — inadvertently adding $2 million to the budget — and had to be rectified after already passing the lower house. Tasmania has been in a pseudo-election campaign since last week. On Sunday, Mr Rockliff held a press conference to announce recently ousted federal Bass MP Bridget Archer would be seeking preselection for the party. "Dean Winter has forced an election upon Tasmanians," he said at the time. "I did not want an election. Mr Winter also held multiple press conferences on the weekend alongside various union leaders. Labor put the blame back on Mr Rockliff. "Jeremy Rockliff thinks he can put Tasmania through another election because his position in the government is more important than the government continuing without him," Labor's Josh Willie said on Sunday. The Liberals have been in power in Tasmania since 2014 starting with a two-seat majority, which reduced to one seat in 2018, stayed at one seat after the 2021 election, and then was in minority before and after the March 2024 election. The party had 14 out of 35 lower house seats, and Mr Rockliff was governing with supply and confidence deals with crossbenchers. He had already survived two no-confidence motions from the Greens, before Labor moved its own motion last week, gaining 18 out of 35 votes to turf Mr Rockliff. In the week since the no-confidence motion passed, the major parties have given some indication of how an election campaign would pan out — if there is, indeed, an election. Mr Rockliff and the Liberals have heavily attacked Mr Winter as a "wrecker", potentially pitching it as a popularity contest between Mr Rockliff and Mr Winter as individual leaders. Labor's no-confidence motion included the bungled rollout of the new Spirit of Tasmania vessels, a deteriorating budget position and potential privatisation of state-owned companies — which Mr Rockliff has now ruled out. Mr Winter has continued to slam Mr Rockliff on each of these topics — and blamed him for losing confidence of parliament. The Tasmanian Greens extended an olive branch to Labor several times to try to form minority government, but this was rejected. The Greens are the only one of the three parties that oppose the Macquarie Point stadium, which has polled poorly — particularly in Bass and Braddon — in recent EMRS polling.
