Alcohol-fuelled violence led support staff to flee Aurukun

SUPPORT service staff pulled out of the Cape York community of Aurukun 18 months ago, after a surge of violence against workers.

SUPPORT service staff pulled out of the Cape York community of Aurukun 18 months ago, after a surge of violence against workers.

A day after indigenous leader Noel Pearson called for a crackdown on sly-grogging, illegal gambling and drug dealing in Queensland’s Aboriginal communities, it can be revealed that four government and non-government agencies temporarily fled Aurukun in late 2012 after ­alcohol-fuelled attacks.

A leaked email, obtained by The Australian, reveals official warnings were given to the Newman government of the outbreak of violence in Aurukun that had been fuelled by the arrival of ­“illegal grog’’ in the community where alcohol is banned.

Bruce Marshall, then a top state bureaucrat in Aurukun, ­reported to his superiors that the head of the community safe house, nurses, probation officers and building contractors had all been targeted in a spate of attacks.

Three organisations — providing parenting and job search services — abandoned the community, along with the probation officer and three others workers took stress leave. “There have been large quantities of sly grog coming into the community and there are groups of people openly drinking in the streets,’’ he wrote.

The email emerged after The Weekend Australian revealed the disturbing findings of the Griffith Youth Forensic Service report. The report, authored by Griffith University academic Stephen Smallbone, and kept secret on his recommendation, found the rate of reported sexual offences in Aurukun was six times the state average, between 2001 and 2012.

The average age of a sexual assault victim was 14, 85 per cent were under 17 and the youngest was just four. It also found that the 1300-strong community had a rate of sexually transmitted infections that was more than 50 times the state average.

The Newman government yesterday responded to Mr Pearson’s call by announcing it was considering tougher laws on sly grogging and home brewing as it reviewed existing alcohol restrictions across the 19 indigenous communities.

Premier Campbell Newman last year announced the review in which local councils can seek cabinet approval for a relaxation of the restrictions if they provide an alternate plan that ensures violence and abuse does not increase with any changes.

Police Minister Jack Dempsey said the government was aware that sly-grogging and home brewing were issues in some communities. “Legislative changes are being considered in relation to these ­issues as part of the state government’s review of alcohol management plans,’’ he said.