Latest news with #AliceSpringsHospital
News.com.au
2 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Territory medical students invited to explore options at Medical Expo
The NT's medical students and junior doctors are getting the chance to explore their options, speak to healthcare specialists from 25 organisations and learn hands-on skills at this year's NT Medical Career Expo 2025. The interactive, free event offers opportunities to build knowledge and practice in areas such as suturing, resuscitation, cannulation, ultrasound, diagnostic games, and even Rorschach tests. Running for its seventh year, the event hosted by Flinders University's NT Regional Training Hub, will take place on Tuesday, June 3, from 5:30pm. This year, 25 organisations, including 12 national medical specialty colleges such as the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, will be taking part in the event. It follows after Flinders University welcomed its largest ever cohort of medical students this year. Professor Robyn Aitken, Dean of Rural and Remote Health at Flinders University, said it was an invaluable opportunity for medical students to speak with specialists and employers about their options. 'This is a chance for students and junior doctors to explore their options, ask questions, and gain insight into the many medical career pathways available right here in the NT,' she said. Students said expo helped them understand 'what kind of doctor they want to be' Students who have attended past expos said it has been very helpful in shaping their career path. Loni Schramm, a third-year medical student currently on placement at Alice Springs Hospital, attended the event in 2023 and 2024. Remembering the hands-on skills, she said she particularly enjoyed performing punch biopsies on chicken thighs with pathologists and learning how to use ophthalmoscopes to examine eyes. 'We were all impressed by the simulation stations, especially seeing consultants and retrieval doctors demonstrate advanced life support techniques like CPR in mid-air and how to intubate,' she said. 'But it wasn't just about the skills — the chance to speak directly with hospital consultants, remote clinicians, and other leaders in the field helped me understand what kind of doctor I want to become.' While in Alice Springs, Loni, who is also president of the Central Australian Remote Health Student Society, is now exploring rural generalist training pathways and hopes to work in remote NT communities in the future. It is expected that around 100 students, junior doctors and health service staff will attend this year's expo in Darwin. Those attending will also be entered into a prize draw. One of the top prizes includes a City Cave Complete Wellness Experience valued at $209, featuring a float therapy session, infra-red sauna, and massage. The expo is on Tuesday, June 3, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm in the ground floor foyer of Menzies School of Health Research, Royal Darwin Hospital.
7NEWS
6 days ago
- 7NEWS
Family ‘in the dark' after death in custody of Indigenous man with disability at Coles supermarket in Alice Springs
Disturbing details have emerged about the death of a young man in custody at a Coles supermarket on Tuesday. The young man, who died after being pinned to the ground by police, was a 24-year-old Warlpiri man from Yuendumu, a remote community about three-and-a-half hours northwest of Alice Springs. The young man, who lived with a disability, had been in Alice Springs for a number of years, and was under a guardianship order and on an NDIS plan. He was confronted by security guards who believed he was shoplifting in the confectionary aisle of Coles about 1.10pm. NT Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said the 24-year-old man was then 'taken to the ground' after a scuffle with the guards, and held there for 'a number of minutes'. Plain-clothed officers then arrived and handcuffed the young man — this is when police determined he had lost consciousness. The handcuffs were removed and police began CPR until paramedics arrived and took the 24-year-old man to Alice Springs Hospital, where he was declared dead about 2.20pm. His cause of death was unable to be determined by a preliminary autopsy, and the forensic pathologist is required for further investigation. Calls for inquiry amid reports 'knee was behind his head' There is no independent inquiry into the death at this stage. While Wurst said police will approach the 'complex investigation' with an 'objective lens', calls are mounting for additional scrutiny. One woman told NT News that she witnessed people calling out to police during the incident: 'This fella has a disability, he's disabled, just be a bit more careful.' 'And then all of a sudden he started fitting on the ground, like he was having a seizure,' the woman said. One witness told the outlet they saw an officer's 'knee was behind his head', and another witness told the ABC: 'It looked pretty violent, and then they slammed him to the ground.' Wurst said police would not 'provide specifics in relation to the actual incident and the conduct of the security guards or officers', when he was questioned about these witness reports during a press conference. Amnesty International Australia called for an investigation to be conducted, independent of NT Police, to 'ensure impartiality and to maintain public confidence in the process'. 'The death of yet another young Aboriginal person in police custody is unacceptable and demands immediate action,' an Amnesty spokesperson said. There have been 593 Indigenous deaths in custody recorded since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Community mourns, family left 'in the dark' The young man's grandfather, Yuendumu elder and Warlpiri man Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said the family has been left 'in the dark about what really happened'. He has called for access to the CCTV and bodycam footage, which Wurst said is currently informing the police investigation. 'Family representatives need to see all available footage of this incident immediately, both CCTV and bodycam, so we can understand what happened to my jaja (grandson),' Hargraves said. 'We are terrified. We are shattered. We are frustrated. This is happening again and again. 'They (police) are saying they want to come and say sorry to us — no. We can't go on saying sorry, sorry, sorry.' The Yuendumu community were a fortnight away from receiving the coronal findings about the death of Kumanjayi Walker, a Warlpiri and Luritja teen, also from Yuendumu, who was shot three times at close range by former NT police officer Zachary Rolfe in 2019. An inquiry into the shooting found Rolfe not guilty on all charges over the 19-year-old's death in 2022. After years of waiting, Hargraves said the community is now considering postponing the visit from NT Coroner Elisabeth Armitage, who was set to reveal her findings to them on June 10. 'Because of all these troubles happening right now, it's too much,' Hargraves said. 'Criminalisation of disability' The First Peoples Disability Network said the death highlighted 'the increasing criminalisation of disability' and exposed failings with the guardianship system and the NDIS. Senator Lidia Thorpe called the young man's death yet another case of 'brutal force' used against Indigenous people. 'He was hungry and he needed care. Instead, he was met with brutal force,' she said in a statement. 'This is not an isolated tragedy — it's part of a brutal pattern where our people die at the hands of police and in prisons. We won't stop speaking out until it ends.' Indigenous Australians Minister and NT Senator Malarndirri McCarthy described the incident as devastating — that a man 'just searching for some food' had died. A senior relative of the man said in a statement his Warlpiri people were devastated by the death and angry that another young man had 'lost his life at the hands of the police'. 'What are the police doing using such force on a vulnerable young man in a supermarket? Did they even try to de-escalate? 'Why was he there alone, where were the carers who were supposed to be responsible for him?' 'We cannot tolerate this situation, with continued brutality and lack of respect.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Family wants footage of police death in custody
The family of a young Aboriginal man who died after being forcibly restrained by police officers wants footage of the incident to be released to them so they can understand what happened. The incident could lead to the postponement of the Northern Territory coroner's release of findings into the notorious police shooting death of Indigenous teen Kumanjayi Walker in an outback town in 2019. A mentally disabled 24-year-old was forced to the floor by two plain-clothes officers on Tuesday, following an alleged shoplifting incident and assault on a security guard in Alice Springs. The man was handcuffed but lost consciousness and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards at Alice Springs Hospital. A woman who witnessed the incident told the NT News one of the officers "had his knee behind his head". An autopsy on Wednesday did not determine the cause of death, police have said, and CCTV and security guard body-worn camera footage is being viewed. The young man's grandfather, Yuendumu elder and Warlpiri man Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said the family was "in the dark about what really happened" and he had asked his lawyer for access to the footage. "Family representatives need to see all available footage of this incident immediately - both CCTV and body cam so we can understand what happened to my jaja (grandson)," he said. The man's death has prompted his original home community of Yuendumu to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings into the 2019. Mr Walker was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty on all charges over the 19-year-old's death in 2022. Mr Hargraves said the community was talking about postponing the June 10 event "because of all these troubles happening right now, it's too much". "We are terrified. We are shattered. We are frustrated. This is happening again and again,'' he told AAP. "They (police) are saying they want to come and say sorry to us - no. We can't go on saying sorry, sorry, sorry." Mr Hargraves said his grandson was a "skinny bloke" who had excess pressure put on him. He referred to the case of Black American George Floyd, who died after being held to the ground with a Minneapolis police officer's knee on his neck in 2020. "What are the police doing using such force on a vulnerable young man in a supermarket? Did they even try to de-escalate?" Mr Hargraves said. "We cannot tolerate this situation, with continued brutality and lack of respect." The dead man is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on an NDIS plan. Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst has offered his condolences to the family. He said police would investigate the incident "with an objective lens". Indigenous Australians Minister and NT Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said it was devastating news that a man "just searching for some food" had died and she had talked to the family to express her sympathy. She said the Yuendumu community had gone through a traumatic time after Mr Walker's death and the latest loss heightened concerns over keeping calm in the community on all sides. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
West Australian
6 days ago
- West Australian
Family wants footage of police death in custody
The family of a young Aboriginal man who died after being forcibly restrained by police officers wants footage of the incident to be released to them so they can understand what happened. The incident could lead to the postponement of the Northern Territory coroner's release of findings into the notorious police shooting death of Indigenous teen Kumanjayi Walker in an outback town in 2019. A mentally disabled 24-year-old was forced to the floor by two plain-clothes officers on Tuesday, following an alleged shoplifting incident and assault on a security guard in Alice Springs. The man was handcuffed but lost consciousness and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards at Alice Springs Hospital. A woman who witnessed the incident told the NT News one of the officers "had his knee behind his head". An autopsy on Wednesday did not determine the cause of death, police have said, and CCTV and security guard body-worn camera footage is being viewed. The young man's grandfather, Yuendumu elder and Warlpiri man Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said the family was "in the dark about what really happened" and he had asked his lawyer for access to the footage. "Family representatives need to see all available footage of this incident immediately - both CCTV and body cam so we can understand what happened to my jaja (grandson)," he said. The man's death has prompted his original home community of Yuendumu to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings into the 2019. Mr Walker was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty on all charges over the 19-year-old's death in 2022. Mr Hargraves said the community was talking about postponing the June 10 event "because of all these troubles happening right now, it's too much". "We are terrified. We are shattered. We are frustrated. This is happening again and again,'' he told AAP. "They (police) are saying they want to come and say sorry to us - no. We can't go on saying sorry, sorry, sorry." Mr Hargraves said his grandson was a "skinny bloke" who had excess pressure put on him. He referred to the case of Black American George Floyd, who died after being held to the ground with a Minneapolis police officer's knee on his neck in 2020. "What are the police doing using such force on a vulnerable young man in a supermarket? Did they even try to de-escalate?" Mr Hargraves said. "We cannot tolerate this situation, with continued brutality and lack of respect." The dead man is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on an NDIS plan. Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst has offered his condolences to the family. He said police would investigate the incident "with an objective lens". Indigenous Australians Minister and NT Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said it was devastating news that a man "just searching for some food" had died and she had talked to the family to express her sympathy. She said the Yuendumu community had gone through a traumatic time after Mr Walker's death and the latest loss heightened concerns over keeping calm in the community on all sides. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Perth Now
Family wants footage of police death in custody
The family of a young Aboriginal man who died after being forcibly restrained by police officers wants footage of the incident to be released to them so they can understand what happened. The incident could lead to the postponement of the Northern Territory coroner's release of findings into the notorious police shooting death of Indigenous teen Kumanjayi Walker in an outback town in 2019. A mentally disabled 24-year-old was forced to the floor by two plain-clothes officers on Tuesday, following an alleged shoplifting incident and assault on a security guard in Alice Springs. The man was handcuffed but lost consciousness and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards at Alice Springs Hospital. A woman who witnessed the incident told the NT News one of the officers "had his knee behind his head". An autopsy on Wednesday did not determine the cause of death, police have said, and CCTV and security guard body-worn camera footage is being viewed. The young man's grandfather, Yuendumu elder and Warlpiri man Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said the family was "in the dark about what really happened" and he had asked his lawyer for access to the footage. "Family representatives need to see all available footage of this incident immediately - both CCTV and body cam so we can understand what happened to my jaja (grandson)," he said. The man's death has prompted his original home community of Yuendumu to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings into the 2019. Mr Walker was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty on all charges over the 19-year-old's death in 2022. Mr Hargraves said the community was talking about postponing the June 10 event "because of all these troubles happening right now, it's too much". "We are terrified. We are shattered. We are frustrated. This is happening again and again,'' he told AAP. "They (police) are saying they want to come and say sorry to us - no. We can't go on saying sorry, sorry, sorry." Mr Hargraves said his grandson was a "skinny bloke" who had excess pressure put on him. He referred to the case of Black American George Floyd, who died after being held to the ground with a Minneapolis police officer's knee on his neck in 2020. "What are the police doing using such force on a vulnerable young man in a supermarket? Did they even try to de-escalate?" Mr Hargraves said. "We cannot tolerate this situation, with continued brutality and lack of respect." The dead man is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on an NDIS plan. Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst has offered his condolences to the family. He said police would investigate the incident "with an objective lens". Indigenous Australians Minister and NT Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said it was devastating news that a man "just searching for some food" had died and she had talked to the family to express her sympathy. She said the Yuendumu community had gone through a traumatic time after Mr Walker's death and the latest loss heightened concerns over keeping calm in the community on all sides. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
