Kumanjayi Walker’s family demands ban on police guns in bush and reform to ‘racist’ system

Kumanjayi Walker’s family and the community of Yuendumu demand reform, saying the system is ‘racist’ and ignores traditional law.

Representatives of Kumanjayi Walker’s family and of the outback community of Yuendumu have demanded criminal law reform and a ban on police guns in the bush after they failed to achieve “justice” through the murder prosecution of Zachary Rolfe.

Speaking outside the NT Supreme Court in Darwin, Warlpiri elders voiced their fury that the jury that acquitted the young constable did not include any Warlpiri or noticeably Aboriginal people.

They said the system was “racist” and ignored traditional law.

Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves described the unanimous verdict as “another sad day” and shouted towards the NT Legislative Assembly building: “When are we going to get justice?” “No guns in remote communities – we don’t want no guns,” he said.

“Enough is enough. It has got to stop … we don’t want to see another black young fella or a girl get shot.”

Warren Japanangka Williams said he and others from the Red Centre region travelled far to Darwin expecting “neutral ground where we could have a multicultural jury”.

“We felt left out. Are we not part of Australia?” he asked.

“We want Yapa people on juries who can hear or tell other jury members how we see it; it’s always Kardiya (non-Aboriginal) people seeing it through their eyes.”

Mr Williams also questioned why Constable Rolfe was bailed on murder charges for more than two years when Aboriginal people facing lesser charges were routinely held on remand.

“The justice system seems to be really dishonest; it helps Kardiya avoid justice instead of making them accountable,” he said.

“In our law … if someone kills someone else, they get speared across both legs, and that finishes the conflict. Zachary should face the Yapa system law, I think.”

Valerie Napaljarri Martin said the court system had not “recognised the needs of Warlpiri people”, leaving them feeling “so empty”.

“We are the First Nations people, but we are still being disrespected and ignored all the time,” she said.

“We are all so full of anger and grief. It is a racist system that we’ve got here in Australia … we demand an end to guns in our communities. Look what happened during the trial: a young fella, the same age as Kumanjayi, was shot six times in Palmerston.”

She also called for more support to help elders keep young people out of jails.

Samantha Fernandez Brown said Kumanjayi Walker’s family members were denied entry to the police station where he died despite pleading to be allowed inside.

“He was rejected the opportunity to be comforted in his last moments, and we were robbed of the opportunity to say goodbye to him,” she said.

“Throughout this trial, Kumanjayi has been depicted solely as a dangerous individual … he has been criticised and picked apart by people who didn’t know him. They saw only his flaws and wanted to put him on trial for his own death.”

Prosecutor Philip Strickland SC said the crown “fully respects the not-guilty verdict of the jury”. He paid tribute to Kumanjayi Walker’s family and the Warlpiri community, emphasising the grief they felt and the dignity they had shown.

“The shooting at Yuendumu raised issues not all of which could be explored at this trial,” he said.

“We anticipate that those issues and the evidence that could not be examined at this trial will be very carefully scrutinised at the inquest. It is our view that the family of Kumanjayi Walker and the Warlpiri community and, indeed, the Australian people deserve no less than that full scrutiny.”