Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) with sadness that 4 August 2015 marked one year since the death of Miss Dhu in police custody in Western Australia, and

(ii) that the inquest into Ms Dhu’s death still has not occurred and will not until the end of 2015, and that meanwhile fine defaulters are still being gaoled in Western Australia; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to continue to work with its state and territory counterparts to implement the remaining recommendations from the Deaths in Custody report.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to inform the chamber that three other Aboriginal people have died in custody since Miss Dhu's death and that there is yet to be an inquest into the deaths of those three Aboriginal people or a date set for their deaths. Miss Dhu is one of a large number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who continue to die in custody and, because people do not necessarily know how to raise the issue, their deaths, unfortunately, are not being followed up by inquests. It is really important that we recognise that fact.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government does take all deaths in custody seriously. State and territory governments are responsible for both corrective services and the investigation of deaths in custody. The West Australian government has announced the commencement of an inquiry into the death of Miss Dhu, and it would be inappropriate for the government to discuss the case while an inquiry is underway.

Question agreed to.