2024-09-17
The Australian Greens have today called for a federal investigation into missing First Nations men and children in Western Australia, after years of inertia by police and government.
In a letter to the Australian Federal Police Commissioner and the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Greens Senators Dorinda Cox and David Shoebridge said the WA Police Force had had enough time to act, and that it was time for a larger, federal investigation.
In recent years seven First Nations WA men – Zane Stevens, Jeremiah "Jayo" Rivers, Wylie Oscar, Clinton Lockyer, Wesley Lockyer, Brenton Shar, Jimmy Taylor – have gone missing.
The Greens say their families have been in a holding pattern ever since, and deserve better.
While the WA Police Force seems to continue operating as though its business as usual, the government has yet to formally respond to the Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Childrens report which was tabled over a month ago.
A rally will be held in Perth today for missing First Nations people.
Quotes attributable to Australian Greens First Nations spokesperson, Senator Dorinda Cox:
“The police and the government are failing the families of these missing men.
“These are humans, people whose families are sitting in a holding pattern waiting for any news.
“Instead the police seem to be operating as though its business as usual, and the government won’t even respond to the Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Childrens report which was tabled over a month ago.
“Families shouldn’t need to go to public meetings, rally, or fund private investigations to get answers.
“We haven’t even seen rewards being offered for information relating to these cases, yet we have for property offences in Western Australia.
“First Nations people are going missing and have been disappeared by systems at an alarming rate – we are demanding truth-telling and action.”
Quotes attributable to Australian Greens justice spokesperson, Senator David Shoebridge:
"Families of missing people shouldn't have to fight the justice system to get answers about what happened to their loved ones but they do.
"We know that police responses to First Nations families can retraumatise those seeking help and that substandard investigations by police mean missed opportunities to locate missing First Nations men.
"The racist justice system has failed these men and their communities for too long and a comprehensive investigation is urgently needed.”