On 21 June 2006 the ABC broadcast a Lateline report titled "Sexual slavery reported in Indigenous community". The film presented a harrowing story about an Aboriginal community in Central Australia, where an alleged paedophile abused little children.
Lateline claimed men in the community conspired together to protect the man, despite the efforts of some ‘local heroes', such as the community doctor and an anonymous "youth worker" who tried to expose his activities.
The following day, in response to the story, the Northern Territory government announced the ‘Little Children Are Sacred’ report, the 6-month inquiry which the Howard government used as the basis for the Northern Territory intervention.
Chris Graham, founding and former editor of the National Indigenous Times, reveals this Lateline report was based largely on fiction.
He gave a presentation on 6 July 2010 to a conference "Defend Aboriginal Rights" in Alice Springs. Due to its importance the speech was repeated two days later at the same conference. An updated version of the presentation was given on 3 September 2010 in Sydney (click here for more information or here for video footage of the event).
For the transcript of the Lateline report click here.
