Inquest into Aboriginal teen’s death shown racist police texts

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Text messages between a Northern Territory constable who shot and killed an Indigenous teenager and other police officers suggest they had negative attitudes towards Aboriginal people, an inquest has been told.

File picture of an Australian police car. (Source: istock.com)

Kumanjayi Walker, 19, died on November 9 2019, after Constable Zachary Rolfe, 31, shot him three times in the remote community of Yuendumu, 290km northwest of Alice Springs.

Counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer told an inquest into his death on Tuesday that text messages found on the officer’s phone when he was arrested show he and other police based in Alice Springs had a negative attitude towards (Aboriginal) community police.

“Taken at face value, I anticipate submitting to Your Honor that some of those text messages do suggest negative attitudes towards Aboriginal people that should and will cause great concern,” Dwyer said as she detailed the evidence the inquest would hear over the next three months .

She said she would not provide more details from them before Friday when legal argument will be heard about their inclusion in the inquiry.

Lawyers for Rolfe are fighting to have them removed from evidence, along with 13 issues that have been raised for investigation about the officer’s recruitment, training, supervision and use of force.

But Dwyer said any texts that show Rolfe and other police officers had expressed negative sentiments about Aboriginal people should be seen by the coroner.

“The purpose of this is not to demonize those who sent the text messages and it’s not to publicly criticize them, it is to understand why those negative attitudes have formed,” she said.

Dwyer said the court could then work to prevent them developing.

“If we don’t, those attitudes may lead again to deadly confrontation,” she said.

The inquest at Alice Springs Local Court continues on Wednesday with evidence from Mr Walker’s family and community.

Among those appearing will be Aboriginal Community Police Officer Derek Williams, who was an uncle to Mr Walker and played a significant role in reassuring the frightened Yuendumu community.

Walker’s cousin, Samara Fernandez-Brown, and community leader Warren Williams, who is Derek Williams’ father, will also take the stand.

Rolfe was acquitted at trial in March of murdering Mr Walker after a six-week trial.

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