Time to focus on Indigenous children still growing up in despair
Luke Grant speaks to Anthony Dillon, the academic & commentator on Indigenous affairs, following a report from the ABC suggesting the head of the NT’s police union is calling for an independent investigation into the decision to charge Constable Zachary Rolfe with murder four days after the death of Warlpiri man Kumanjayi Walker.
Constable Rolfe was found not guilty of all charges on Friday following a five-week trial with NT Police Association president Paul McCue accusing Chief Minister Michael Gunner of “political interference” regarding the matter, which NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker has rejected. On Friday, the NT opposition made similar calls, saying Mr Gunner must answer “serious questions” regarding the “appearance of political interference prior to charges being laid”.
Mr Dillon, who identifies as both Aboriginal and Australian, says he believes the right decision was reached in relation to Constable Rolfe but that the question we should be asking now is: “How can we prevent deaths like the one Rolfe was charged with from happening again in the future?”
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