Former Palm Island Mayor calls for Indigenous officer to be appointed Assitant Commissioner in wake of racist recordings

First Nations leaders are calling for an Indigenous officer to join the highest ranks in the Queensland Police Service, after damning audio recordings capturing watch-house officers using racist slurs were leaked.

Former Palm Island mayor Alf Lacey. Picture: Zak Simmonds

First Nations leaders are calling for an Indigenous officer to join the highest ranks in the Queensland Police Service, after damning audio recordings capturing watch-house officers using racist slurs were leaked.

Former Palm Island Mayor Alf Lacey said now was the time for an Indigenous Assistant Commissioner to be appointed, as tangible evidence of the organisation’s commitment to reconciliation.

His message comes days after leaked audio recordings, first published by the Guardian Australia, captured officers from the Brisbane Watchhouse making racist comments and slurs.

In one recording, officers can be heard talking about “black fellas” and joking about how they should be “beaten” and buried.

Earlier this week, Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Wheeler branded the conversations as “disgusting” and “sickening”.

Mr Lacey, who was the Mayor of Palm Island from 2008 to 2020, said the comments had deeply troubled him.

Former mayor of Palm Island, Alf Lacey.

“What I have seen in the last couple of days … it really knocks me off my seat and blows me way as a community leader,” Mr Lacey said.

“Are our kids going to be sitting down and talking about this in another 20 years time?”.

And while the leaked audio had shocked him, he said he and others in the community were sadly unsurprised by the conduct.

“It is not uncommon for blackfellas in this state to see what is now starting to get out in public,” he said.

“It doesn’t surprise us in terms of the endemic cultural issue within the police service,

“ … What has been said over the last couple of days, we have experienced over many, many decades in terms of the culture within the QPS …”.

He said if the QPS and government were serious about reconciliation, an Indigenous Assistant Commissioner should be appointed.

“If they want to be fair dinkum about reconciliation … they’ve got to put their money where their mouth is, and appoint an Indigenous (Assistant) Commissioner, that can directly advise in terms of cultural matters for the Queensland Police in terms of our cultural perspective,” he said.

Mr Lacey said the racist audio recordings had blown him away.

In considering how new QPS recruits could better develop their cultural awareness, Mr Lacey suggested new officers should spend time in Indigenous communities.

“ … Bring those new recruits, put them here, so our Elders and community can give them the full length of cultural awareness and appreciation, because we have to feel safe too if we are in their (police) care,” he said.

“ … (We should) not feel culturally unsafe at police stations or watch houses and when we come into contact with the law,

He said while his call was not about “them and us”, it was about whether the QPS were “listening” and “willing to act”.

“The reform needs to happen immediately in terms of any changes, to allow our people to have confidence in the system,” he said.

“ … I don’t know how many Royal Commissions or inquiries (they) have to do to tell them that things are still wrong.”

On Friday, QPS in a statement said investigations by the Ethical Standards Command were continuing investigations into the death of a 51-year-old man in the Kowanyama Watchhouse.

The man died on Wednesday, November 9 after being taken into custody and was later found unresponsive in his cell.

Initial investigations have confirmed three QPS members had not had physical contact with the man at the time of the incident.

This comes as an investigation begins into the dead of a 51-year-old man in the Kowanyama Watchhouse.

QPS released a statement on Friday, which indicated the Ethical Standards Command were investigating the incident.

The man died on Wednesday, November 9 after being taken into custody and was later found unresponsive in his cell.

Initial investigations have confirmed three QPS members had not had physical contact with the man at the time of the incident.

Dr Ernie Hoolihan OAM, founder of the Yumba-Meta housing charity, said positive action should start with the implementation of all 339 recommendations from the now 31-year-old Royal Commission in to Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

Dr Ernie Hoolihan.

“When something goes wrong they say they’re going to fix it, but why don’t they go (through) all the recommendations, and sit down and do it all,” Dr Hoolihan said.

Townsville indigenous Elder Professor Gracelyn Smallwood said the watch-house officers behind the racist slurs should be sacked.

Ms Smallwood – who has been an activist for 55 years – said if all recommendations from the Royal Commission had been implemented, “we wouldn’t be having this problem today”.

“ … This has been allowed to go on for the last 200 years … the only way is to wipe out the bad eggs and focus on the good eggs,” she said.

Former Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service Bob Atkinson told media in Townsville earlier this week that during his tenure he had seen instances of racism but thought they were “relatively low” in an organisation of its size.

Professor Gracelyn Smallwood.

Questions to Police and Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan regarding whether an appointment of an Indigenous Assistant Commissioner would be supported were unanswered and referred to Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll.

A QPS spokesman said a diverse workforce was supported.

“We are absolutely committed to working with First Nations community members and partner agencies to advance reconciliation,” the spokesman said.

“Within the QPS, the First Nations Network is a group of First Nations people that provide cultural support, mentoring and advice for all staff and implement strategies for recruitment and retention of First Nations Members,

“The QPS has a First Nations Senior Recruiting Officer who works with police recruiting to actively engage with our community to identify and support First Nations candidates.”

Originally published as Former Palm Island Mayor calls for Indigenous officer to be appointed Assitant Commissioner in wake of racist recordings