‘Mongrel looking creature’: NT Police probe cop’s ‘racist’ post
A TERRITORY police officer is under investigation over claims he made a ‘disgraceful’ post on social media referring to Aboriginal itinerants as ‘mongrel looking creatures’
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A TERRITORY police officer is under investigation over claims he made a “disgraceful” post on social media referring to Aboriginal itinerants as “mongrel looking creatures”.
A spokesman said NT Police had recently become aware of alleged “inappropriate social media posts” involving a member of the force.
Screenshots obtained by the NT News show the constable posted on a public Facebook group called “Darwin — Have a whinge” on Tuesday.
“Is it possible to have a nice sit down meal in Mitchell Street without having some drunken, stinking, mongrel looking creature dribbling in your face and begging for food? Or is that just the traditional welcome to country?” the comments read.
North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency principal legal officer David Woodroffe said the comments were “absolutely disgraceful” and obviously a slight against Aboriginal people. “It’s very concerning that such racism and derogatory comments made about Aboriginal Territorians is coming from a member of the police force,” he said.
“NAAJA believes NT police should take strong action on this incident.”
The officer in question deleted his Facebook profile on Friday, which also contained an offensive photo he posted in 2015 of a man in blackface covered in the US Confederate flag.
A police spokesman said the matter was being treated as a “serious breach of discipline” and being investigated by the Professional Standards Command.
“One of our key priorities is to enable a positive culture through diversity and inclusion, so it is saddening to have a complaint of this nature,” he said.
“This matter is an Internal Discipline Investigation and no further details will be released at this time.”
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar said she was encouraged to hear the NT Police force was taking the matter seriously.
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“It’s crucial that all Australians can have confidence that their police force are committed to a zero tolerance approach to racism,” she said.
Police minister Nicole Manison denied the NT Police force has a race problem and said cultural awareness was the foundation to all training.
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The NT News contacted the officer for comment.
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