Zach Rolfe bragged about ‘bashing ice dealer’ after ‘Bad Boys’ car chase, Yuendumu inquest hears

In a text message read to the court for the first time on Tuesday, Constable Rolfe bragged about a ‘wild pursuit’ of an ‘ice dealer’ he said ended up resembling the film Bad Boys.

Aboriginal Justice Unit director Leanne Liddle said witnessing racism in remote communities was ‘of the most devastating experiences of my life’. Picture: Jason Walls

Zach Rolfe exhibited an attitude of “revelling in violence” when he boasted in a newly revealed text message about having “bashed” an “ice dealer” following a high-speed chase, a court has heard.

Constable Rolfe was acquitted on all charges by a Supreme Court jury last year after fatally shooting 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man Kumanjayi Walker in Yuendumu in 2019.

On Tuesday, Monash University criminology professor Jude McCulloch took the stand in the Alice Springs Local Court at an inquest into his death.

North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency lawyer Matthew Derrig asked Professor McCulloch whether a previously revealed message in which Constable Rolfe bragged about having “smashed the whole community” of Borroloola was “a possible indication of a warrior mindset”.

In response, Professor McCulloch said Constable Rolfe’s words were “an indication of the use of overwhelming force, and not just force against one individual who may have broken the law, but a whole community”.

“So to me, it seems to suggest that the community are being constructed as enemies and a punitive approach, or a coercive approach, is being used,” she said.

“It seems to be a particular community is being constructed as a whole as a threat and one that needs to be overcome.

“Also there’s the sense of the community being subjugated, punished and subjugated, so I would say that is a reasonable indication of that warrior mindset, or the militarised kind of mindset where some people are considered to be a threat based on their characteristics, perhaps where they live, their cultural background etc.”

In another text message read to the court for the first time on Tuesday, Constable Rolfe also bragged about a “wild pursuit” he said ended up resembling the film Bad Boys.

“I was chasing this 40-year-old white ice dealer for like 3 days coz he took a machete to some woman,” he wrote.

Hollywood actors Martin Lawrence and Will Smith in scene from the 1995 American buddy cop action film Bad Boys.

“Then saw him driving round town it was like bad boys, we were driving wrong side of the road through red lights at like 130km/h haha was sick, then he tried to run and bashed him.”

Professor McCulloch said the comments reflected “a cowboy aspect” that was “not the mindset of a police officer dedicated to using minimum force”.

“There’s certainly indications of the masculinist mindset I believe, engaging in the action-oriented aspect of policing,” she said.

“Revelling in violence which doesn’t seem to be force that’s used to arrest someone, take them before court, there’s no indication of minimum force, only force being used in a punitive way.”

Mr Derrig also quoted from an essay penned by Constable Rolfe before the inquest’s resumption last week in which the officer said he was “in the job to protect people” and made “no apologies for doing my job”.

“Legitimate authority should win; otherwise, what’s the point of a civilised society,” Constable Rolfe wrote.

But Professor McCulloch said the statement was “ambiguous” and not suggestive of “an us and them kind of mentality”.

“It could be a legitimate way of expressing your dedication to the job and your willingness to protect people by doing your job,” she said.

“I mean there might be a question mark about what’s considered legitimate in that case but I wouldn’t make too much of that.”

The inquest continues.

‘Devastating’ racism triggers probe of ‘every single NTG agency’

The Territory’s historic Aboriginal Justice Agreement could struggle to achieve its aims without the establishment of an Aboriginal Justice Commission, the AJA’s chief architect has warned.

Aboriginal Justice Unit director Leanne Liddle gave evidence in the Alice Springs Local Court on Monday at an inquest into the 2019 police shooting death of 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man Kumanjayi Walker.

Ms Liddle told Coroner Elisabeth Armitage a new Aboriginal Justice Commission was “probably the best body that could move forward to deliver on the agreement”.

“There is a lot deflection and denial and cherrypicking of some of the deliverables within the justice agreement that the committee does not have the power to be able to drive,” she said.

“That then means that the intent of the agreement isn’t met and we won’t be able to achieve the three aims over the seven-year time frame.”

Ms Liddle said the creation of an AJC was preferable to establishing “numerous government structures that consume a lot of secretariat work” but don’t “roll out the deliverables on the ground”.

“It could broaden the roles around advising government agencies with independent advice, or greater advice that may be considered sensitive, or policy reform and so forth,” she said.

“But obviously until that happens the AJU would perform that role and continues to perform that role with other agencies.

“If I’m being perfectly frank, it’s not the money that will drive the justice agreement or fail the justice agreement, it’s the pace and the purpose to be backed by government that will stop us achieving our goals.”

Ms Liddle said racism was “the number one issue” arising out of 120 community consultations the AJU undertook as part of the agreement process, including frequent complaints about racist comments by police.

“It was devastating because it was embarrassing, I had thought that we had moved forward given the investment, the presence of police, health and others in these (communities) that weren’t there before,” she said.

“It was one of the most devastating experiences of my life to witness the cruel treatment, the behaviours of people in those communities and the lack of investment in communities.”

Ms Liddle said the AJU would “review every single NT government agency for systemic racism”, including police, but “it won’t be my decision if they’re prioritised or not”.

“Those reviews are not intended to be witch hunts they’re actually intended to improve service delivery and improve the lives of Aboriginal Territorians and save taxpayers money,” she said.

“People get uncomfortable when you talk about reviewing systemic racism (but) often it’s not anyone’s fault, it just sits within the system, it’s not an individual’s actions that has led to that but they do need addressing.”

The inquest continues on Tuesday.