NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy had promised to deliver a second apology to Aboriginal people in the remote community of Yuendumu, before being stood down last week. Commissioner Murphy acknowledged "past harms" and "injustices" caused by police in his first apology at Garma Festival last year. NT Police has not yet recommitted to the second apology and a prominent Warlpiri elder is now questioning if it will ever happen.
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00:00At the Garma Festival last year, Police Commissioner Michael Murphy promised a transformation within
00:08the force.
00:09I am deeply sorry to all Aboriginal Territorians for the past harms and the injustices caused
00:17by members of the Northern Territory Police.
00:20He also promised a second apology to the people of Yundamoo in the Central Desert, where tensions
00:25have been high as a coronial inquest continues into a young Aboriginal man shot dead by an
00:31anti-police officer six years ago.
00:34But it's an apology that now may never happen following Michael Murphy's sudden axing over
00:40an anti-corruption probe scandal.
00:42It's always been promises.
00:45It's always been sorry, sorry, sorry.
00:49When it's going to end?
00:51President Hargraves has watched from the sidelines as the coronial inquest into Kumunjai Walker's
00:56death uncovered evidence of significant police racism.
01:00He says alongside an apology, police should not be allowed to carry guns in remote communities.
01:06If they're really serious about saying sorry, then their guns come off.
01:17There should be no guns.
01:19Murphy appointed a senior Aboriginal bureaucrat to investigate racism in the force, but his
01:25apology at Gama deepened a rift between the commissioner and the rank and file.
01:30It upset the members that actually haven't done anything wrong and actually tried to
01:33advance our relationship with Aboriginal communities.
01:37It's still unclear whether the acting police commissioner, Martin Dole, will deliver the
01:41promised apology to the people of Yundamoo.
01:43With spokespersons saying at this stage, Mr Dole is focused on maintaining operational
01:48stability and that the force remains committed to achieving meaningful and positive change.