Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Late on Saturday afternoon I was driving in Girrahween, a suburb of Cowan, on Hainsworth Avenue, when I was turned around by the police. The raid had been blocked following the assault and grievous bodily harm of a teenager of Sudanese heritage, who lies in intensive care with terrible head injuries—17-year-old Kuol Akut may not survive his injuries. It has been reported that a birthday party for a 16-year-old got out of control and a brawl erupted between Sudanese and Aboriginal youths.

This is not the first incident of this kind in or around the suburb of Girrahween. In fact, a local resident was quoted in the newspaper on Sunday as saying:

This is Girrawheen. You've got to have a blade or a machete or a bat.

This is a tragedy not only for Kuol Akut's family but also for the good people of Girrawheen—the people who feel they have to have weapons in order to defend themselves: not to go out onto the street to attack, but to defend themselves and their children if someone was to come into their homes and offer violence.

The police do an outstanding job, and I encourage witnesses to this crime, and the other crimes that occurred on Saturday night, to come forth in order for those responsible to be brought to justice. But we do need to see this event in the correct light: this is a large number of people bringing their prejudices to a street to create trouble. This was a time when arrogance and violent character traits were released with a reckless disregard for the safety of the good people of Girrawheen. There can be no excuses for such criminality. This was not the fault of the police, the state government, the City of Wanneroo or anyone else. Perhaps this is about a lack of leadership or a lack of parenting; however, above all, it is definitely about criminal behaviour by people who deliberately chose to act in the way they did. The blame stops there. (Time expired)

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