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Black Lives Matter Protests in Australia: A Call for Truth-Telling and Structural Change

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Thalia Anthony, a Professor of Law at the University of Technology Sydney, explains how the Black Lives Matter protests in Australia have ignited discussions on racial injustice and the need for structural change. The protests are calling for charges against police officers responsible for deaths in custody, an end to racialised police violence, and the implementation of the 339 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Black Lives Matter protests in Australia have led to several smaller victories, including the South Australian government committing to funding a custody notification service and the initiation of a NSW parliamentary inquiry into how First Nations deaths in custody are investigated.
  • The protests have also resulted in the federal Indigenous affairs minister meeting with Aboriginal peak organisations to discuss incorporating justice targets in the new Closing the Gap measures.
  • Despite these developments, the Commonwealth and state governments have responded with condemnation, with some police commissioners and political leaders seeking to block protests to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
  • There have been at least five First Nations deaths in custody this year, with two in the last month alone, and increasing concerns for the lives of First Nations people in prisons as COVID-19 has begun to spread in institutions and youth detention centres in Victoria.
  • The police unions have run active campaigns to defend officers charged in deaths in custody cases, and there has been a national silence about racialised police violence and deaths in custody of First Nations people.
  • A holistic, nationwide truth-telling process is critical to hold the police to account for enforcing policies to eliminate First Nations people - in the past and today.
  • Truth-telling requires reforming the education system to emphasize diversity and cultural competency, as well as a commitment to independent investigations for deaths in custody and police violence.

Statistics:

  • Since 1991, there have been 438 First Nations deaths in custody.
  • Around 339 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody aim to address the issue of racialised police violence and deaths in custody.
  • The police unions have defended officers charged in deaths in custody cases through active campaigns.
  • There have been at least five First Nations deaths in custody this year, with two in the last month alone.
  • COVID-19 has begun to spread in institutions and youth detention centres in Victoria, raising concerns for the lives of First Nations people in prisons.

Sources:

  • Waight, N. (2020) Too many Indigenous deaths in custody: when are the police going to stop killing our people? https://theconversation.com/too-many-indigenous-deaths-in-custody-when-are-the-police-going-to-stop-killing-our-people-141320
  • Anthony, T. (2020) Instead of demonising Black Lives Matter protesters, leaders must act on their calls for racial justice. https://theconversation.com/instead-of-demonising-black-lives-matter-protesters-leaders-must-act-on-their-calls-for-racial-justice-143269
  • The Conversation (Au and NZ) -- By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney.

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