Deputy Commissioner Murray Smalpage apologises over Zach Rolfe shooting of Kumanjayi Walker

As one of two lieutenants to Commissioner Jamie Chalker, Murray Smalpage will be the most senior of the force’s representatives to testify at the inquiry. Read what he had to say.

NT Police Deputy Commissioner Murray Smalpage says police ‘have listened and we have learned to do better’ since the fatal 2019 shooting. Picture: Jason Walls

NT Police’s top brass has apologised to the family of slain teenager Kumanjayi Walker for a litany of failures in the wake of his fatal shooting.

In taking the stand at an inquest into the 2019 Yuendumu police shooting on Monday, Deputy Commissioner Murray Smalpage also acknowledged “there is much yet to do to rebuild trust”.

As one of two lieutenants to Commissioner Jamie Chalker, Mr Smalpage will be the most senior of the force’s representatives to testify at the inquiry, with his evidence expected to take up much of the week.

On Monday, he offered NT Police’s “sincere condolences and sympathies” to Mr Walker’s family and friends, as well as the entire community of Yuendumu.

“We are sorry for Kumanjayi’s passing and for the circumstances of his passing,” he said.

“We are sorry too for the distrust caused by not promptly informing his family and the community of his death.”

Mr Smalpage also apologised for a “ruse” in which officers directed an ambulance to go to the Yuendumu airstrip in a bid to convince Mr Walker’s family he was on board, saying “that should not have occurred”.

“We apologise to the community, to the health personnel involved, especially nurse (Lorraine) Walcott for this,” he said.

“We apologise for the manner in which Kumanjayi’s family members were informed of his passing on the morning of 10 November, 2019, when police members did not refer to him in a culturally appropriate way and did not use his correct first name.

“The information was not given in a compassionate and sensitive manner and we accept that the manner in which the information was communicated caused distress to his family.”

Mr Smalpage also acknowledged his officers’ mistake in asking the wrong person to identify Mr Walker’s body, admitting it was “culturally inappropriate” to leave the task to local elder Eddie Robertson.

“We apologise to Mr Robertson and assure the community that we have listened and we have learned to do better,” he said.

“We apologise that Kumanjayi’s transfer to the police vehicle consisted of dragging which, understandably, caused distress to his family and community.”

The Deputy Commissioner also said sorry for “the carrying of long arms in Yuendumu”, acknowledging the “apprehension caused” in a community where residents have long been calling for police to be disarmed of their guns.

“We offer these condolence apologies in the genuine recognition of Kumanjayi’s tragic death and of its significant and lasting effects on the Yuendumu community,” he said.

“The Northern Territory Police force acknowledges the tragedy of Kumanjayi’s death both alone and in the context of grave and unjust history that includes events such as the Coniston massacre,” he said.

“The Northern Territory Police force has taken active steps and will continue to do so, (we) recognise there is much yet to do to rebuild trust between the community and the Northern Territory Police force through collaborative discussions and consultations.”