The grandfather of a 24-year-old man who died in police custody in the Northern Territory is urging the prime minister to intervene in what he describes as a “justice crisis” in the region. Kumanjayi White, a Warlpiri man with disabilities, died after being restrained by police at an Alice Springs supermarket last month. This incident has led to multiple protests and vigils both locally and across the country.
In an open letter, White’s grandfather, Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, a respected elder, called on Anthony Albanese to translate his commitments into actions. Hargraves asserts that the Northern Territory’s criminal justice system is in crisis and failing.
The letter highlights the lack of trust between the Yuendumu community and the Northern Territory police, and draws on the traumatic impact of the 2019 fatal shooting of Kumanjayi Walker by a police officer named Zachary Rolfe. Hargraves points out that the NT intervention, a policy aimed at addressing child sexual abuse, has devastated Aboriginal communities and stripped them of their rights, jobs, and assets, arguing that the government has the authority to assist these communities.
Hargraves and the family are demanding an independent investigation and the temporary suspension of the involved officers while the investigation is ongoing. They also call for the release of CCTV footage.
The Northern Territory police and the territory government have rejected the idea of a different jurisdiction taking over the investigation into White’s death. Hargraves’s letter also expresses solidarity with the Warlpiri community following the death of another Aboriginal man in Darwin, a 68-year-old respected elder who was arrested due to alleged intoxication and later died in ICU. The family and community continue to seek justice and support in the aftermath of these tragedies.
The article concludes with crisis support information for readers in Australia and internationally.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jun/23/kumanjayi-white-family-demand-federal-government-support-after-death-in-custody-ntwnfb
