2024-03-06
Yesterday in Broome at approximately 2:15pm, a male was filmed by a group of community members pacing and standing guard over three small First Nations children, the youngest being 6 years old. This video footage went viral. These small children had their hands cable tied and were sitting outside in the 32 degree hot sun at a property. They were crying and visibly distressed, pleading to leave.
Comments attributable to Greens portfolio holder for First Nations and Yamatji Noongar woman, Senator Dorinda Cox:
“My heart is heavy today. This footage was disturbing and confronting. We can never be ok with watching children as young as 6 being humiliated, their tiny wrists being tied up and leaving them crying in the hot sun. Children are forever damaged by this type of behaviour. There is no justification for instilling terror into small children.
“As a mother, watching these children begging for their freedom and in fear was like watching a slow repeat of the historical racially based abuse experienced by previous generations of First Nations people. We have just acknowledged Survival and National Apology Day and yet we are confronted with scenes that demonstrate the harsh reality of racism faced by First Nations people every day. We must confront such footage in the spirit of truth telling, however confronting this is. This is how we heal and move forward.
“As a community, we all have a shared responsibility to rise above and challenge abuse, violence, racism and attitudes that encourage these behaviours towards children.
“My heartfelt thanks to the voices in the footage who were brave, loud and who said this behaviour towards small children was not acceptable and demonstrated the power of unity and community. I can only imagine how confronting and distressing this experience was for you, so thank you.
“We have sadly stood together before to stand against violence and abuse towards First Nation Children and I call upon WA police, all Australian politicians and the broader public to stand united and send out a clear message that we can never accept this happening to any child in our society, on our watch.
“Know that united we will continue to elevate the voices of First Nations people and the message that First nations children's lives matter and that racism and violence will never be accepted. We can and must do better for future generations and those who have gone before us.”