NT coroner: ‘Kumanjayi’s passing is a tragedy for him and those who knew and loved him’
Elisabeth Armitage has begun reading her findings from the inquest into Kumanjayi Walker’s death.
“Kumanjayi’s passing is a tragedy for him and those who knew and loved him in this community,” the coroner has just said.
I am very sorry for your loss, and condolences have been expressed by the agencies who were represented at the inquest and many individual witnesses who were deeply affected by his passing.
Today, I again acknowledge your pain and sorrow and pay my respects to all those who grieve him.
Evidence in this inquest has been distressing to hear, particularly for those who loved Kumanjayi. I acknowledge that participating in these proceedings has taken a toll on Kumanjayi’s family and this community.
I appreciate the gracious way his family and all of you gave evidence, listened, bore witness and patiently awaited these findings into Kumanjayi’s death and these proceedings have also had a profound impact on many people connected with the events of the day – that includes police witnesses, Mr Rolfe and his family, cleaning staff and other service providers.
I acknowledge that it has been hard for many of you, and that the receipt of these findings may also cause distress.
• Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for information and crisis support; or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
Key events
NT coroner says racist language was ‘normalised’ at Alice Springs police station
Elisabeth Armitage says she is “comfortably satisfied that racist language was normalised within the Alice Springs police station during Mr Rolfe’s time there as a police officer.”
His racist messages were not mere aberrations. They were at least in part reflective of a work culture that tolerated racism.
Having considered all the evidence, including Mr Rolfe’s explanations and justifications, I found that Mr Rolfe was racist and that he worked in, and was the beneficiary of, an organisation with hallmarks of institutional racism.
I am satisfied that there is a significant risk that his racism, in combination with some of his other attitudes and values, affected his interactions with the community of Yuendumu on 9 November 2019, his entry into their houses and his perception of and response to the young Aboriginal man he shot and killed in a way that increased the likelihood of a fatal outcome.
NT coroner acknowledges Rolfe’s ‘stressful period’ but also evidence of ‘attitudes that reflect poorly on him’
Coroner Elisabeth Armitage has acknowledged the “stressful period” junior police officer Zachary Rolfe has been through since the death of Kumanjayi Walker, as well as his relentless – and difficult and traumatic – workload.
“Nevertheless, I received a substantial body of evidence that plainly reveals examples of Mr Rolfe’s conduct, including dishonesty and attitudes that reflect very poorly on him,” she said.
I heard evidence about some of Mr Rolfe’s attitudes that may have influenced why he made decisions to enter house 511, and conduct the flawed arrest on Kumanjayi in the manner that he did.
Mr Rolfe’s text messages provided evidence of his derisive attitudes to female colleagues and some superiors, his frustration or contempt for more senior officers who had not earned his respect, his attraction to high adrenaline policing and his contempt for bush cops or remote policing – all of which had the potential to increase the likelihood of a fatal encounter with Kumanjayi, for reasons outlined in my findings, I am comfortably satisfied that these unsavoury views and attitudes were consciously or unconsciously embedded in the decisions Mr Rolfe made on 9 November 2019.
NT coroner hopes findings ‘will help to prevent a similar tragedy’
Elisabeth Armitage says it is her “sincere hope that the handing down of these findings will help to prevent a similar tragedy” to that of 9 November 2019.
Nothing in the findings should be taken to mean that I think that police are not entitled to lawfully defend themselves against serious attacks. An important aim of these findings, however, is to make recommendations that reduce the risk of attacks upon police who perform a vital role in our community.
Although much of this inquest reviewed formal documents, policies and the actions of others, I never lost sight of the fact that I was inquiring into the death of a person who lived, was loved, is missed and mourned. While family members accept his frailties and vulnerabilities, they urge me to remember him from his humanity and to acknowledge the whole person they have lost.
She says that in her findings, she has “set out in some detail the family history for Kumanjayi, including some of the challenges he had growing up”, including being exposed to alcohol when in utero, his substance abuse from about the age of 13 and his time in juvenile detention.
NT coroner: ‘Kumanjayi’s passing is a tragedy for him and those who knew and loved him’
Elisabeth Armitage has begun reading her findings from the inquest into Kumanjayi Walker’s death.
“Kumanjayi’s passing is a tragedy for him and those who knew and loved him in this community,” the coroner has just said.
I am very sorry for your loss, and condolences have been expressed by the agencies who were represented at the inquest and many individual witnesses who were deeply affected by his passing.
Today, I again acknowledge your pain and sorrow and pay my respects to all those who grieve him.
Evidence in this inquest has been distressing to hear, particularly for those who loved Kumanjayi. I acknowledge that participating in these proceedings has taken a toll on Kumanjayi’s family and this community.
I appreciate the gracious way his family and all of you gave evidence, listened, bore witness and patiently awaited these findings into Kumanjayi’s death and these proceedings have also had a profound impact on many people connected with the events of the day – that includes police witnesses, Mr Rolfe and his family, cleaning staff and other service providers.
I acknowledge that it has been hard for many of you, and that the receipt of these findings may also cause distress.
• Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for information and crisis support; or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
NT coroner arrives at court to deliver Kumanjayi Walker inquest findings
As we await the findings from the inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker, all eyes are on Yuendumu. Here’s NT coroner Elisabeth Armitage arriving a short time ago.
Hello readers, I’m Daisy Dumas and I’ll be leading the rest of the day’s live news coverage. Thank you for your excellent blogging this morning, Jordyn Beazley.
Victorian premier says taskforce is next step in ‘plan to crack down on hate’
Allan said the Victorian government had already taken a number of steps to stem antisemitism – including anti-vilification and social cohesion laws – and that the taskforce builds on this work.
She said the anti-vilification and social cohesion laws had given police additional powers and harsher penalties to crackdown on anyone targets people because of their faith.
In addition to this, Allan said:
We are currently drafting legislation and are undertaking consultation to crackdown on extremist behaviour at protests. The banning of facemasks, the banning of attachment devices, and the banning of the display of terrorist symbols and signs. The legislation is being drafted and we will be bringing that legislation to the parliament in the next session of parliament.
But we know that we will need to continue to do more and I will not rest in doing more to make it clear that hate has no place here in Victoria. Which is why establishing the anti-hate taskforce in partnership with Victoria police is the next step in this plan to crack down on hate, but also, too, work with communities right across the state in continuing to strengthen the social fabric of our community.
The anti-hate taskforce will be meeting this week. And we will ensure that the voices of our Jewish community are part of that meeting, to hear from them and what they are experiencing and how to guide the next steps of the taskforce.
‘Acts of antisemitism have no place here in Melbourne’
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, is speaking now about the alleged arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue on Friday and establishing the anti-hate taskforce with Victoria police.
Allan said:
We thank police for their efforts to swiftly arrest the individual alleged to have perpetrated what is a hateful act. Any attack on a synagogue, it is an act of antisemitism. I condemn it.
I will not rest, will not rest, and will continue to take any action necessary to not only to strengthen the law but to respond and lead in … how we as a community need to act to say very, very clearly that acts of hate, acts of violence, acts of antisemitism have no place here in Melbourne and Victoria.
NSW police appeal for information on ‘six days of carnage’ believed to be linked to drug cartel
NSW police spoke a little earlier about its investigation into a “contract crew” alleged to be responsible for “six days of carnage” in 2024 in which one man was fatally shot and another was shot and allegedly buried but survived.
Detective superintendent Joseph Doueihi said the crew – allegedly linked to a drug cartel – were “very likely” motivated by “something that’s gone wrong within that drug trafficking syndicate from Melbourne”.
The three incidents include the alleged murder of 32-year-old Rich ‘Dylan’ Choup – who was fatally shot in Sydney last July. A 31-year-old man from south-west Sydney was allegedly kidnapped and tortured. The third incident is the alleged attempted murder of a man in Jimboomba, Queensland. Police said the 23-year-old man was shot through the eye and then buried.
Doueihi said:
We believe that Mr Choup was an employee of that syndicate and has fallen foul of that syndicate for some reason – we don’t have the exact details. That is also part of our appeal today, is to establish what the exact motive may have been in relation to that.
We believe the kidnapping of the first male is also linked to a drug trafficking syndicate and something that’s gone wrong within that drug trafficking syndicate. In relation to the attempted murder of the man in Queensland, that unfortunately is not that clear. It remains unclear at the moment for the exact motive but there is a possibility that that also is linked to the drug trafficking syndicate.
Doueihi said it was unbeknown to the “contract crew” that the alleged victim in the third incident had survived.
He said:
The male was shot in the head through the eye, with the bullet lodged in his brain. He was buried in a shallow grave. Unbeknown to the offenders, who believed he was deceased, the male crawled out of the grave and made his way to a nearby service station, where an ambulance was called, and the man was taken to a nearby hospital, had surgery, and had the bullet removed. Queensland police are investigating that matter.
Trump and US commerce secretary say tariffs are delayed until 1 August
The US Trump administration plans to start sending letters to its trade partners on Monday that will set the much-awaited new tariff rates on global imports.
The administration’s commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, has confirmed the “rates and deals” being set will come into effect on August 1.
US president Donald Trump had in April announced a 10% base tariff rate on most countries and additional duties ranging up to 50%, although he later delayed the effective date for all but 10% until 9 July.
The new date of 1 August offers countries a further three-week reprieve, but also plunges importers into an extended period of uncertainty.
It comes after Anthony Albanese said last Monday that trade tariffs placed on Australia by the US Trump administration “should be zero”.
The prime minister said Australia has continued to put forward its case that it should be exempt.
He said last Monday:
We continue to put our case forward that it shouldn’t be 10.
It should be zero. That is what a reciprocal tariff will be. We have a US free trade agreement, of course, and we’ve put forward very clearly our arguments. We’ll continue to do so.
Jacinta Allan vows to stand with Victoria’s Jewish community
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has appeared briefly to speak about the government’s response to antisemitism after an alleged arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue.
Today the state government announced it would be setting up an anti-hate taskforce to look “at the bigger picture across our city and state”
Allan said:
I’ll continue to stand with a strong, proud Jewish community here in Victoria every single day. Every single day. They are a big, important part of our community. They demand our support at this most difficult time. They demand our action, which is why, alongside strengthening laws and the response of Victoria police, we will continue to work to build a stronger place where everyone can be who they are, and practice their faith safe and free from hate.
Australia lifts aid to Fiji and deepens ties after Rabuka visit
The Fijian prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese’s government agreeing to bolster aid to the Pacific nation by tens of millions of dollars.
Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52m of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to Fiji to just under $500m over the next four years.
Foreign minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations.
Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Albanese.
He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the Australian defence force.
– via AAP
NSW police hunt for ‘contract crew’ after man killed and another allegedly buried alive
New South Wales police have alleged a “contract crew” linked to a drug trafficking syndicate is responsible for “six days of carnage” in which one man was fatally shot and another was shot and buried but survived in 2024.
Police said it was investigating the alleged murder of 32-year-old Rich ‘Dylan’ Choup – who was fatally shot in Sydney last July – and two other violent incidents believed to be linked:
Police believe the three incidents occurred within a six-day period and may be linked to a Victorian drug trafficking syndicate.
Detectives are appealing to the public for information about the incidents.
Police said the incidents include a 31-year-old man from south-west Sydney who was allegedly kidnapped and tortured.
Another incident included the alleged attempted murder of a man in Jimboomba, Queensland.
Police said the 23-year-old man was shot through the eye and then buried:
Police believe the man was shot and buried, with those responsible likely unaware he crawled out of his shallow grave to seek help a short time later.
Victoria creates anti-hate taskforce after alleged antisemitic attacks
The Victorian government has convened a new anti-hate taskforce after a spate of alleged antisemitic attacks in Melbourne at the weekend.
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan said the taskforce will build on the work undertaken by the Local Escalation and Help (Leah) at the local level, by looking “at the bigger picture across our city and state.”
The taskforce will be formed by the Victorian police and the government.
Allan said:
It will have its first meeting this week where I will be updated on: how Victoria Police plans to operationalise the criminal components of the Anti-Vilification and Social Cohesion Act; progress and updates from the LEAH meetings occurring within the Jewish Community; the progress of community consultation and development of legislation for increased police powers to stamp out extreme and violent protest.
I will also invite representatives of Melbourne’s Jewish Community to participate in this meeting, so their voice is heard from the outset.
The taskforce will meet regularly and consist initially of representatives of Government including myself and the Minister for Police, Victoria Police and the Lord Mayor of Melbourne – with membership to expand over time.
Hate doesn’t belong in Victoria. It has no place outside synagogues or inside restaurants.
We have a strong action plan and we’re implementing it piece by piece. We back our police, we’re giving them more powers – and we won’t rest until every Victorian feels safe to be who they are.
McCarthy says ‘now is the time’ for federal action on truth-telling
Malarndirri McCarthy has said that “now is the time” for the federal government to take “the steps that are required around truth-telling”.
The minister for Indigenous Australians was speaking on ABC News Breakfast a short time ago.
McCarthy was asked if she could see could see the federal government undertaking a truth-telling inquiry in the wake of Victoria’s Yoorrook Justice Commission releasing its report.
McCarthy said:
I have been watching states and territories. I know that, since the defeat of the referendum, we have looked at what’s going on in each of the state and territory jurisdictions.
But now is the time, I hope, as we go forward, that we can look at what we can do at a federal level in regards to taking the steps that are required around truth-telling.
We do talk about this when we come to Garma, but now is the time to see action, and I do want to read the Yoorrook Justice Commission report and see what we can do at a federal level.
Ley writes to Albanese to offer Coalition support on child safety reforms
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, says she has written to Anthony Albanese to offer the Coalition’s support on safety reforms after allegations against a Victorian childcare worker rocked the sector last week.
On Tuesday, a Melbourne childcare worker was charged with with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims aged between five months and two years old, prompting health authorities to urge the parents of 1,200 children to seek testing.
Speaking on Sunrise this morning, Ley said she felt “physically sick” upon learning of the allegations against the childcare worker.
I have written to the prime minister in good faith to offer our constructive engagement in the lead-up to parliament returning so we can have legislation ready to go to actually act once and for all, to do what I think every parent would expect and every community member would expect – to make sure our children are safe in childcare settings.
When asked whether the Coalition had done enough to strengthen safety in the wake of the 2017 royal commission into child sexual abuse, Ley said it is “not about the blame game”.
The education minister, Jason Clare, is a good person. My shadow education spokesperson is a good person and they will work together.
