the following report that the queensland police union is arrogantly expecting the tax-payers of qld to pay the million dollar plus costs for the whitewash of then s/s chris hurley's involvement in the death of mulrunji doomadgee in november 2004 on palm island is just another kick in the guts by qld police for the doomadgee family, his wife tracey and the whole of the palm island community.
i am not surprised that the qld police union are putting the 'request' forward as it is my understanding that all australian police forces have a sweet-heart deal with their respective governments that when the police union becomes involved in court cases on behalf of their members and they win, then the government of the day will affray the costs of the police union. if they lose, they pay their own costs. the system being what it is i believe they lose very few. such a high success rate is based on the inescapable fact that police investigate other police. enough said.
the main police protagonist, then s/s hurley, was reported as receiving some $130 000 in a double-dip compensation payout whilst losing not one dollar of wages in the six years or so that he was dragged through the qld court system.hurley is also reported by the qld press to be a millionaire in his own right as well. whilst hurley was eventually promoted to the rank of inspector at a gold coast police station other police were also exonerated of their brutal behaviour towards the palm island community. some, including officer darren robinson, even received bravery awards! they know no shame, these bully-men.
the antics and legal interferences by officer robinson has been a matter of high interest to me since that fateful november day that mulrunji was killed after being arrested by hurley. such an arrest was proven to be, if not unlawful, then at least to be totally unnecessary. that mulrunji protested loud and long at his arrest by hurley is well known as is the reaction by hurley that he was being stood up to. and when mulrunji took a swing at hurley, a man half hurley's physical stance, even hurley admitted to some surprise and consternation. hurley muscled mulrunji into the station and the rest is history.
robinson was one of the officers present at the hurley bbq as they discussed their next move. robinson proudly admitted to being 'a bloody good mate of chris' and proceeded to back that claim up over the following years.
over the years there were two very questionable deaths on palm island that i have written on before. one was the alleged suicide by hanging of mulrunji's son. it has been stated that prior to his death he was seen being spoken to by robinson. the second alleged suicide by hanging was that of mulrunji's friend who, it is also reported, was seen being spoken to by robinson prior to his death. in fact, robinson took him for a ride around the island.
i have been calling on the qld labor government and the qld coronial system for many years that both of these questionable deaths need a full and open inquest into their deaths and, specifically, what part in those deaths, if any, was officer darren robinson involved in. this is the same darren robinson who was reported as saying to witnesses, inter alia, "if chris goes down, your next." or words to that effect. he was also being very selective on the evidence that was presented to him by witnesses, telling one witness to try again.
robinson is certainly no hero, except perhaps to the qld police, and his part in these two alleged suicides must be brought on.
the qld police minister must refuse to pay the police union costs as it has already cost the citizens of qld much to reach the questionable judgement made by the all-white jury from townsville.
the qld police minister and the qld attorney-general must immediately call for full and open inquests into the two palm island deaths and the role of officer darren robinson both before and after those deaths. justice demands nothing else.
no police force should harbour bully-men police.
fkj
Palm Island mayor threatens compensation claim
Date
August 9, 2012 - 1:40PM
Nathan Paull
Palm Island’s mayor wants the Queensland government to compensate his community for emotional trauma if it agrees to pay the legal costs for a police officer cleared of killing an indigenous man in the island’s watchhouse.
The Queensland Police Union applied to the former state government to pay for Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley’s legal costs after he was acquitted of the manslaughter of Palm Island man Cameron Doomadgee, now known as Mulrunji.
However, the former Labor government did not make a ruling on the contentious claim, estimated to be at least $1 million, and the task has now fallen to new Police Minister Jack Dempsey.
A spokesman for Mr Dempsey said he was waiting to receive all the information before making a decision.
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But Palm Island’s mayor Alf Lacey said the application’s approval would be yet another blow for the indigenous community, which feels it has been denied justice over the incident.
Mr Lacey said if the application was approved, he would make his own application to the government to be compensated for emotional trauma.
"If his legal bills are going to be paid, then I’m going to be requesting from the government... to cough up money to allow the community to heal itself," he said.
"Our community continues to be insulted by the very people who orchestrated stress within our shire.
"Palm Island is a strong community but when you see these ridiculous suggestions being made... it just reinforces the stress and trauma placed on our community.
"Mr Doomadgee died on the floor of the island’s watchhouse in November 2004, and the ensuing bungled police investigation sparked rioting.
Sen Sgt Hurley, the arresting officer, was ultimately acquitted of Mr Doomadgee’s manslaughter.
Comment from QPU has been sought.
AAP
ray jackson
president
indigenous social justice association
isja01@internode.on.net
(m) 0450 651 063
(p) 02 9318 0947
address 1303/200 pitt street waterloo 2017
we live and work on the stolen lands of the gadigal people.
sovereignty treaty social justice
Comments
Only civil action might succeed
I think the only legal action that may succeed is in the Civil court, Ray . Sue them, Robinson and the government. It is still very difficult because someone has to do the investigation into Robinson's behaviour.
It was bad enough under Labor but now that the LNP is in power there is no chance of having Robinson investigated and brought before a criminal court..
Whatever good the police may do in the wider community , they all stand disgraced and condemned for their behaviour toward Aboriginal Australians over the decades. Over the centuries.
Hopefully, if more and more Aboriginal people join the police services of Australia, the racist culture may begin to change. It is amazing though, at meetings held by police to support Hurley, there were officers of Aboriginal heritage clapping him. The old peer group pressure in play. That's why it should help if more join. Safety in numbers.
Laurie
Security footage shows police attacking young man
Lateline
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 09/08/2012
Reporter: Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop
The ABC has obtained security footage of police on the New South Wales north coast violently subduing Corey Barker, who spent a year fighting police claims he had assaulted them.
Transcript
TONY JONES, PRESENTER: The ABC has obtained security footage of police on the NSW north coast violently attacking a young man.
Corey Barker says he was bashed for throwing a plastic bottle at the police and then spent a year fighting claims by police that he had assaulted them.
Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop reports.
SEAN RUBINSZTEIN-DUNLOP, REPORTER: It is the footage these police didn't want seen. In January last year, officers at Ballina police station caught on camera throwing Corey Barker head first, then attacking him.
COREY BARKER, VICTIM: Thrown around on the ground, taunted, punched, kicked, jumped on.
ANGELIQUE SINES, MOTHER: He was crying out. Could you hear the aaah. I was living across the road. I could hear him then. Yeah. That was awful.
SEAN RUBINSZTEIN-DUNLOP: The ordeal lasted several minutes. The bashing over, a court heard he was dragged by the arms and left for an hour and a half with major injuries.
COREY BARKER: The main shock came when I woke up in the Lismore cells and had eight
charges laid up against me.
VINCE BOSS, SOLICITOR: What the police told him, Corey threw a right-handed punch into one of the senior constables there and that's when they had to take action.
SEAN RUBINSZTEIN-DUNLOP: Corey Barker spent more than a year in court wrongly accused. The charges were only withdrawn once the video, which had been damaged, was repaired and shown to a magistrate.
COREY BARKER: This would have happened to a million other people that don't have the right circumstances to fight it.
SEAN RUBINSZTEIN-DUNLOP: A lawyer for three of the officers told Ballina Local Court today the video shouldn't be released because it could go viral on the internet and affect future legal proceedings. The magistrate ruled the public had a right to see it for themselves.
The court heard the Police Integrity Commission has launched a misconduct investigation into allegations of assault, lying under oath, tampering with evidence and conspiring to pervert the course of justice. The town remains rattled by the attack.
ANGELIQUE SINES: We're not in the Third World country where all these sort of things happen. We are in Ballina, Australia, you know, and that's the thing that appals me the most.
SEAN RUBINSZTEIN-DUNLOP: Corey Barker is considering suing the police.
TONY JONES: Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop with that report.
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3564654.htm