A rally outside Queensland state parliament on September 14 demanded the charging of police who break the law, a full royal commission into the state’s police force and real accountability. After the rally, a delegation from the Aboriginal community met police minister Neil Roberts and discussed issues arising from the deaths in custody crisis.
Below is an excerpt from the speech Murri leader and Socialist Alliance member Sam Watson gave at the rally.
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We are still waiting, after four months, for charges recommended by the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) over a police cover-up to be actually laid.
Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley should have been charged with murder over the death in custody of Mulrunji Doomadgee on Palm Island in November 2004. Instead, he was charged and acquitted of manslaughter by an all-white jury.
There were 2500 complaints against Queensland police by the public in 2008. Last year, this had increased to 3011. It is not safe to continue to have police investigate police.
The CMC has the power to launch prosecutions itself, so the failure to act is partly the responsibility of the CMC.
There has been a general increase in arrests and incarceration rates of Aboriginal people. Alarm bells should be ringing for all members of the Queensland public right now.