Cops set up roadblock, conduct random vehicle searches on Darwin Aboriginal community land

MEMBERS of Darwin’s Minmarama Aboriginal community have expressed outrage after police set up a roadblock on their land on Tuesday morning, conducting random vehicle searches and drug and alcohol testing on anyone entering or leaving.

Police conduct random vehicle searches and drug and alcohol testing at the Minmarama Aboriginal community on Dick Ward Dr.

MEMBERS of Darwin’s Minmarama Aboriginal community have expressed outrage after police set up a roadblock on their land on Tuesday morning, conducting random vehicle searches and drug and alcohol testing on anyone entering or leaving.

Minmarama resident Rachid El Masri said the officers insisted on searching his car with his young child inside for more than 10 minutes in the hot sun without giving a reason.

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“They make me pull over, turn the car off, come out of the car, search everything,” he said.

“I’ve got a baby in the car and it’s too hot and I told them that and they didn’t care, they just turned the car off and started searching.”

Community leader Helen Secretary questioned why the police chose to block access to residents without consultation instead of conducting a standard RBT on the nearby Dick Ward Dr where they could test all drivers.

“If they’re doing alcohol breath testing isn’t that on public roads? They’re setting it up on the actual community, in the entrance,” she said.

“Why weren’t we informed? I think all Aboriginal organisation community leaders should be informed of what’s happening (on their land).”

Ms Secretary said police told her they could set up the roadblock under the 2012 Stronger Futures Act but it had never happened before and it was unclear what legal authority allowed them to conduct the searches on private property.

In a statement, NT Police would not say why they set up the roadblock on the Kulaluk lease rather than Dick Ward Dr but said division three of the Liquor Act gave officers authority to do so.

“Alcohol Policing Unit have been conducting mini operations throughout Greater Darwin to help reduce alcohol related harm within the community,” the statement reads.

“Minmarama is only one location in respect of an ongoing attempt to reduce alcohol related harm. As before, this is an ongoing operation to reduce alcohol related harm on our assessments of information relating to alcohol supply and anti-social behaviour.”

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Ms Secretary said her lawyers would write to Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker asking for an explanation as to the legal basis for conducting the roadblock on private land.

Minmarama is part of the 301ha Kulaluk Crown Lease which was handed back to the Larrakia people under a perpetual lease agreement in 1979.