Latest news with #Lingiari
Sky News AU
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro blasts federal politicians for calling for independent investigation into Aboriginal death in custody
Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has hit out at federal politicians calling for an independent investigation into the death in custody of an Aboriginal man in Alice Springs, saying their attempts to politicise the issue are appalling. Kumanjayi White, a 24-year-old Warlpiri man with a disability, died after he was arrested by two plain-clothed police officers in the Coles Supermarket in Alice Springs on May 27. His family have called for an independent investigation into his death and for police to release CCTV of the incident. Those calls have been backed by Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy and Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour, who has recommended the Australian Federal Police take over the investigation. Mrs Finocchiaro was questioned about the issue at the Northern Territory Parliament's budget estimates committee. 'The comments being made by federal members of parliament are quite frankly appalling; they should know better,' she said. 'This is a very sad time for the community; our police have an incredibly important job to do, and the politicisation of this issue helps no-one. It does not support our police or the Coroner to do their work, or the families who are grieving and communities who want answers.' Acting Police Commissioner Martin Dole told the committee the calls for an independent investigation were misinformed. 'The Police Administration Act establishes the police force of the Northern Territory and sets out what our roles and responsibilities are. They are to investigate these matters and criminality within the Northern Territory, and that is where this current investigation is sitting,' he said. 'It is inappropriate for us to bring someone from another jurisdiction who does not have the expertise in Territory legislation and the numerous case law rulings and difficulties that investigators in the Territory have to navigate through. 'The Territory community is best served with the experts who do this work every single day of the week, and I have complete confidence in their ability to do so. 'The call for an independent investigation is probably slightly misinformed by the people who do not understand the processes in place. There is plenty of oversight to those investigations with the mechanisms available already in the Northern Territory.' Community action group Justice Not Jails condemned the Chief Minister's comments and said if there was a statutory bar preventing an investigation then the government should amend its legislation. The group said police must be removed from the investigation into the death of Kumanjayi White and of 'TN', a 68-year-old elder from the remote Indigenous community of Wadeye who died in custody on June 7. 'Last year NT Police delivered an apology to Indigenous Territorians and promised to do things differently,' spokesman Stephen Enciso said. 'That apology means nothing unless NT Police and the government are willing to relinquish control over the investigation into the death of Kumanjayi White and now this latest death in custody as well.'
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Calls for external death-in-custody inquiry 'appalling'
Federal politicians are being criticised for suggesting death-in-custody investigations should be carried out independently of a territory police force. Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro's attack on Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour comes amid calls for an external inquiry into an Aboriginal man's death in police custody. Kumanjayi White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes officers inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard. Within a fortnight of his death, a 68-year-old Aboriginal Elder from Wadeye died in hospital after federal police stopped him boarding a plane in Darwin, allegedly because he was intoxicated. NT Police and Ms Finocchiaro have vigorously defended the force's investigations into the deaths, saying independent inquiries are not needed. Senator McCarthy, the federal Indigenous Australians Minister, has said an independent review might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". Ms Scrymgour has said a criminal investigation was a job "only police can undertake" but it did not have to be conducted by NT detectives when federal police could step in. Ms Finocchiaro last week labelled Senator McCarthy's comments "unhelpful and uneducated" and called them "quite frankly appalling" at an NT parliament estimates hearing on Tuesday. She said the senator and Ms Scrymgour should know better. "The politicisation of this issue helps no one," the chief minister said. "It does not support our police to do their important work or the coroner to do her important work, families who are grieving, communities who want answers." Ms Finocchiaro urged people with the power to influence to use their voice to reinforce the strength of institutions, particularly NT Police. Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said NT Police had a statutory responsibility to investigate all crimes in the territory "so it's not simply a matter that we can call in an external body that doesn't have any powers". He said strict protocols were in place when investigating deaths involving police and the NT's ombudsman, anti-corruption agency and the coroner all had oversight. Many Indigenous advocacy groups have backed independent inquiries into deaths in custody and over the weekend rallies were held across the nation calling for justice for Mr White. On Tuesday, the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory Aboriginal Corporation issued a statement saying it supported calls for an independent inquiry and police reform. Chair John Paterson said every time an Aboriginal person died in custody the government said "never again ... but here we go again". "Our people keep dying, and still nothing changes." He said the group was outraged that both Mr White and the Wadeye Elder had vulnerabilities but were not met with care, only criminalisation. "Their deaths reflect a system that is not broken, but functioning as it has been designed, to control, contain, and silence Aboriginal lives," Dr Paterson said. He urged Ms Finocchiaro to work with his organisation to prevent further deaths. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 Federal politicians are being criticised for suggesting death-in-custody investigations should be carried out independently of a territory police force. Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro's attack on Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour comes amid calls for an external inquiry into an Aboriginal man's death in police custody. Kumanjayi White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes officers inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard. Within a fortnight of his death, a 68-year-old Aboriginal Elder from Wadeye died in hospital after federal police stopped him boarding a plane in Darwin, allegedly because he was intoxicated. NT Police and Ms Finocchiaro have vigorously defended the force's investigations into the deaths, saying independent inquiries are not needed. Senator McCarthy, the federal Indigenous Australians Minister, has said an independent review might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". Ms Scrymgour has said a criminal investigation was a job "only police can undertake" but it did not have to be conducted by NT detectives when federal police could step in. Ms Finocchiaro last week labelled Senator McCarthy's comments "unhelpful and uneducated" and called them "quite frankly appalling" at an NT parliament estimates hearing on Tuesday. She said the senator and Ms Scrymgour should know better. "The politicisation of this issue helps no one," the chief minister said. "It does not support our police to do their important work or the coroner to do her important work, families who are grieving, communities who want answers." Ms Finocchiaro urged people with the power to influence to use their voice to reinforce the strength of institutions, particularly NT Police. Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said NT Police had a statutory responsibility to investigate all crimes in the territory "so it's not simply a matter that we can call in an external body that doesn't have any powers". He said strict protocols were in place when investigating deaths involving police and the NT's ombudsman, anti-corruption agency and the coroner all had oversight. Many Indigenous advocacy groups have backed independent inquiries into deaths in custody and over the weekend rallies were held across the nation calling for justice for Mr White. On Tuesday, the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory Aboriginal Corporation issued a statement saying it supported calls for an independent inquiry and police reform. Chair John Paterson said every time an Aboriginal person died in custody the government said "never again ... but here we go again". "Our people keep dying, and still nothing changes." He said the group was outraged that both Mr White and the Wadeye Elder had vulnerabilities but were not met with care, only criminalisation. "Their deaths reflect a system that is not broken, but functioning as it has been designed, to control, contain, and silence Aboriginal lives," Dr Paterson said. He urged Ms Finocchiaro to work with his organisation to prevent further deaths. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 Federal politicians are being criticised for suggesting death-in-custody investigations should be carried out independently of a territory police force. Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro's attack on Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour comes amid calls for an external inquiry into an Aboriginal man's death in police custody. Kumanjayi White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes officers inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard. Within a fortnight of his death, a 68-year-old Aboriginal Elder from Wadeye died in hospital after federal police stopped him boarding a plane in Darwin, allegedly because he was intoxicated. NT Police and Ms Finocchiaro have vigorously defended the force's investigations into the deaths, saying independent inquiries are not needed. Senator McCarthy, the federal Indigenous Australians Minister, has said an independent review might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". Ms Scrymgour has said a criminal investigation was a job "only police can undertake" but it did not have to be conducted by NT detectives when federal police could step in. Ms Finocchiaro last week labelled Senator McCarthy's comments "unhelpful and uneducated" and called them "quite frankly appalling" at an NT parliament estimates hearing on Tuesday. She said the senator and Ms Scrymgour should know better. "The politicisation of this issue helps no one," the chief minister said. "It does not support our police to do their important work or the coroner to do her important work, families who are grieving, communities who want answers." Ms Finocchiaro urged people with the power to influence to use their voice to reinforce the strength of institutions, particularly NT Police. Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said NT Police had a statutory responsibility to investigate all crimes in the territory "so it's not simply a matter that we can call in an external body that doesn't have any powers". He said strict protocols were in place when investigating deaths involving police and the NT's ombudsman, anti-corruption agency and the coroner all had oversight. Many Indigenous advocacy groups have backed independent inquiries into deaths in custody and over the weekend rallies were held across the nation calling for justice for Mr White. On Tuesday, the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory Aboriginal Corporation issued a statement saying it supported calls for an independent inquiry and police reform. Chair John Paterson said every time an Aboriginal person died in custody the government said "never again ... but here we go again". "Our people keep dying, and still nothing changes." He said the group was outraged that both Mr White and the Wadeye Elder had vulnerabilities but were not met with care, only criminalisation. "Their deaths reflect a system that is not broken, but functioning as it has been designed, to control, contain, and silence Aboriginal lives," Dr Paterson said. He urged Ms Finocchiaro to work with his organisation to prevent further deaths. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 Federal politicians are being criticised for suggesting death-in-custody investigations should be carried out independently of a territory police force. Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro's attack on Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour comes amid calls for an external inquiry into an Aboriginal man's death in police custody. Kumanjayi White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes officers inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard. Within a fortnight of his death, a 68-year-old Aboriginal Elder from Wadeye died in hospital after federal police stopped him boarding a plane in Darwin, allegedly because he was intoxicated. NT Police and Ms Finocchiaro have vigorously defended the force's investigations into the deaths, saying independent inquiries are not needed. Senator McCarthy, the federal Indigenous Australians Minister, has said an independent review might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". Ms Scrymgour has said a criminal investigation was a job "only police can undertake" but it did not have to be conducted by NT detectives when federal police could step in. Ms Finocchiaro last week labelled Senator McCarthy's comments "unhelpful and uneducated" and called them "quite frankly appalling" at an NT parliament estimates hearing on Tuesday. She said the senator and Ms Scrymgour should know better. "The politicisation of this issue helps no one," the chief minister said. "It does not support our police to do their important work or the coroner to do her important work, families who are grieving, communities who want answers." Ms Finocchiaro urged people with the power to influence to use their voice to reinforce the strength of institutions, particularly NT Police. Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said NT Police had a statutory responsibility to investigate all crimes in the territory "so it's not simply a matter that we can call in an external body that doesn't have any powers". He said strict protocols were in place when investigating deaths involving police and the NT's ombudsman, anti-corruption agency and the coroner all had oversight. Many Indigenous advocacy groups have backed independent inquiries into deaths in custody and over the weekend rallies were held across the nation calling for justice for Mr White. On Tuesday, the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory Aboriginal Corporation issued a statement saying it supported calls for an independent inquiry and police reform. Chair John Paterson said every time an Aboriginal person died in custody the government said "never again ... but here we go again". "Our people keep dying, and still nothing changes." He said the group was outraged that both Mr White and the Wadeye Elder had vulnerabilities but were not met with care, only criminalisation. "Their deaths reflect a system that is not broken, but functioning as it has been designed, to control, contain, and silence Aboriginal lives," Dr Paterson said. He urged Ms Finocchiaro to work with his organisation to prevent further deaths. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
West Australian
3 days ago
- Politics
- West Australian
Calls for external death-in-custody inquiry 'appalling'
Federal politicians are being criticised for suggesting death-in-custody investigations should be carried out independently of a territory police force. Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro's attack on Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour comes amid calls for an external inquiry into an Aboriginal man's death in police custody. Kumanjayi White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes officers inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard. Within a fortnight of his death, a 68-year-old Aboriginal Elder from Wadeye died in hospital after federal police stopped him boarding a plane in Darwin, allegedly because he was intoxicated. NT Police and Ms Finocchiaro have vigorously defended the force's investigations into the deaths, saying independent inquiries are not needed. Senator McCarthy, the federal Indigenous Australians Minister, has said an independent review might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". Ms Scrymgour has said a criminal investigation was a job "only police can undertake" but it did not have to be conducted by NT detectives when federal police could step in. Ms Finocchiaro last week labelled Senator McCarthy's comments "unhelpful and uneducated" and called them "quite frankly appalling" at an NT parliament estimates hearing on Tuesday. She said the senator and Ms Scrymgour should know better. "The politicisation of this issue helps no one," the chief minister said. "It does not support our police to do their important work or the coroner to do her important work, families who are grieving, communities who want answers." Ms Finocchiaro urged people with the power to influence to use their voice to reinforce the strength of institutions, particularly NT Police. Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said NT Police had a statutory responsibility to investigate all crimes in the territory "so it's not simply a matter that we can call in an external body that doesn't have any powers". He said strict protocols were in place when investigating deaths involving police and the NT's ombudsman, anti-corruption agency and the coroner all had oversight. Many Indigenous advocacy groups have backed independent inquiries into deaths in custody and over the weekend rallies were held across the nation calling for justice for Mr White. On Tuesday, the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory Aboriginal Corporation issued a statement saying it supported calls for an independent inquiry and police reform. Chair John Paterson said every time an Aboriginal person died in custody the government said "never again ... but here we go again". "Our people keep dying, and still nothing changes." He said the group was outraged that both Mr White and the Wadeye Elder had vulnerabilities but were not met with care, only criminalisation. "Their deaths reflect a system that is not broken, but functioning as it has been designed, to control, contain, and silence Aboriginal lives," Dr Paterson said. He urged Ms Finocchiaro to work with his organisation to prevent further deaths. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Calls for external death-in-custody inquiry 'appalling'
Federal politicians are being criticised for suggesting death-in-custody investigations should be carried out independently of a territory police force. Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro's attack on Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour comes amid calls for an external inquiry into an Aboriginal man's death in police custody. Kumanjayi White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes officers inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard. Within a fortnight of his death, a 68-year-old Aboriginal Elder from Wadeye died in hospital after federal police stopped him boarding a plane in Darwin, allegedly because he was intoxicated. NT Police and Ms Finocchiaro have vigorously defended the force's investigations into the deaths, saying independent inquiries are not needed. Senator McCarthy, the federal Indigenous Australians Minister, has said an independent review might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". Ms Scrymgour has said a criminal investigation was a job "only police can undertake" but it did not have to be conducted by NT detectives when federal police could step in. Ms Finocchiaro last week labelled Senator McCarthy's comments "unhelpful and uneducated" and called them "quite frankly appalling" at an NT parliament estimates hearing on Tuesday. She said the senator and Ms Scrymgour should know better. "The politicisation of this issue helps no one," the chief minister said. "It does not support our police to do their important work or the coroner to do her important work, families who are grieving, communities who want answers." Ms Finocchiaro urged people with the power to influence to use their voice to reinforce the strength of institutions, particularly NT Police. Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said NT Police had a statutory responsibility to investigate all crimes in the territory "so it's not simply a matter that we can call in an external body that doesn't have any powers". He said strict protocols were in place when investigating deaths involving police and the NT's ombudsman, anti-corruption agency and the coroner all had oversight. Many Indigenous advocacy groups have backed independent inquiries into deaths in custody and over the weekend rallies were held across the nation calling for justice for Mr White. On Tuesday, the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory Aboriginal Corporation issued a statement saying it supported calls for an independent inquiry and police reform. Chair John Paterson said every time an Aboriginal person died in custody the government said "never again ... but here we go again". "Our people keep dying, and still nothing changes." He said the group was outraged that both Mr White and the Wadeye Elder had vulnerabilities but were not met with care, only criminalisation. "Their deaths reflect a system that is not broken, but functioning as it has been designed, to control, contain, and silence Aboriginal lives," Dr Paterson said. He urged Ms Finocchiaro to work with his organisation to prevent further deaths. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
