Terri Butler (Griffith, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In July 2016 the ABC's Four Corners program screened footage of children in detention at Don Dale correctional facility in the Northern Territory being abused, forced into restraint chairs, subjected to tear gas and forced to wear hoods. I think that every Australian was appalled by what they saw on the program—every Australian, that is, except for the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, who did not bother to watch it and was out to dinner. The following day in a press conference he actually decided to say that he was not aware prior to the screening the night before of the nature of the abuse that was occurring. But these reports have been contradicted by a number of sources, including the producer of the ABC program, who said that a copy of the show had been provided to the minister's office at lunchtime of the day of screening.

It is worth mentioning in some detail the nature of what was aired by Four Cornersmatters that, of course, are now the subject of a royal commission, including threats of self-harm by young people; the use of chair restraints, including the use of chair restraints that are not commonplace in youth justice; the use of so-called spit hoods on young people; that six young people were placed in solitary confinement for between six and 17 days and for between 22 and 24 hours a day; and juvenile inmates being tear-gassed.

The minister stated the day after Four Corners aired that he was not aware of the nature of the abuse occurring at Don Dale. Specifically, the minister stated that, prior to the Four Corners program airing, the issues at Don Dale had failed to 'pique his interest sufficiently' and that he had assumed that the Northern Territory government were taking care of the matter. This is despite the ABC having reported in October last year on calls by the Law Council of Australia for the Northern Territory government to take urgent action to protect vulnerable children incarcerated in its youth detention system. The same report stated:

Of particular concern to the Law Council is the indiscriminate use of hoods and handcuffs, the solitary confinement of young people in breach of the NT's Youth Justice Act, and the use of tear-gas in favour of a meaningful attempt to negotiate a peaceful outcome in response to last August's unrest.

The Minister for Indigenous affairs made these comments despite having been briefed my departmental officials on issues at Don Dale correctional centre in October last year—something the minister was forced to subsequently admit. This was far from the only report by the ABC last year. More significantly, there was also the review of the Northern Territory youth detention system by Michael Vita, known also as the Vita report. That report was released publicly in February 2015 and should have been well known to the minister.

So I ask the assistant minister: how is it possible that such matters could not have piqued the minister's interest, given there were public reports and that he was briefed on the matters by departmental officials? Why didn't the minister know about these matters? What did PM&C officials know about this abuse and what advice was provided to the Prime Minister's office and the Prime Minister about it?

In responding to these events, the government announced a royal commission, though only days after Brian Martin was appointed a royal commissioner he resigned. This happened, of course, because the government failed to consult with Indigenous people about the appointment. Minister, why was there no consultation prior to the announcement of the royal commission and the royal commissioner? If the minister did not consult with Indigenous people before an announcement was made, did the Prime Minister, the Attorney-General or any other minister do so?

What has changed the minister's behaviour to give any assurance that he now takes these matters seriously? What assurances are there that the Minister for Indigenous Affairs takes his responsibilities seriously and is committed to improving the lives of Indigenous people in a genuine and meaningful way? This is such a serious matter and it has been handled appallingly by this government. It is little wonder that some of the most respected and senior Indigenous leaders have lost faith in the minister.

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