Prime Minister John Howard says treating Aborigines differently is contributing to violent confrontations with police.Howard has also blamed family breakdowns for recent incidents including last week's riot at Redfern in inner-Sydney after the death of Aboriginal teenager Thomas Hickey.
He has again defended police against claims they were pursuing the teenager when he died, saying there is no evidence to support that.
An Aboriginal Boy Dies, Chased by Cops
This Week in Redfern
By VANESSA JONES
There is a boy dead in a city morgue. A teenager. Thomas "TJ" Hickey. Dead at 17. How do you write about death? About riots? About an issue no-one in power seems to want resolved? The mad scramble of Australia as it is today. Inner city Sydney Redfern. Put on some music. Whatever is on the player. Hi 5 and Paul Kelly. And try and describe what happened this past weekend. Before time and more life fades.
THE SCENE: Sydney, Australia. Feb 14, Valentine's Day: An Aboriginal youth- Thomas "T J" Hickey, aged 17 years. On his bike. Ends up impaled on a fence. How did he get stuck on a high metal fence? He dies the next day in hospital, from his injuries. Aboriginal people of Redfern get angry. People say he was chased by police. Tensions boil over. A riot takes place on Feb 15.
Counter Punch
Evidence to support some of the above came from police themselves, 'police who have empathy for Aboriginals are not in the club' and 'police were chasing someone else'.
The fact that police made a statement in the Hickey case pending an investigation contradicts what normally happens when police argue they cannot comment pending an investigation.
Cops Leak: Bulldogs accused of rape at Coffs Harbour
I suppose Howard will also claim the Bulldogs footballers 'superstars' don't pack rape their victims and therefore no charges should be laid against the alleged perpetrators and no notice or names should be given out to the media.
Howard [said] there are other reasons for tensions between police and Aborigines. "They arise from a combination of factors," he said.
"They arise from a total breakdown in family authority within Aboriginal communities, they sometimes arise from a policy of perhaps treating different groups in the community differently.
"The solution lies very much in treating everybody equally and as part of the mainstream as far as law enforcement is concerned."
By Starsky and Hutch 26 February 04
THE CHICKEN: Equal, does that include racist police who lie?
THE EGG: Chuck and PuKE over the racist police who lie and should be treated equally and sacked. When are police going to stop investigating themselves?
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT GOES STRAIGHT - !HOWARD'S REAL PURPOSE BY HIS STATEMENT WAS TO PROTECT POLICE - BUT HE TRIES TO CONVINCE YOU ON THE BASIS OF THE FAMILY AND RACIAL THEMES. - BUT IF YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR JOHN HOWARD YOU MIGHT SCARE YOURSELF. - THE WHOLE WORLD'S WATCHING!
Related:
Redfern police 'need to be made accountable'
POLICE have no right to demand increased support to patrol Redfern in the wake of one of the worst death in custody cover-ups by police in Australian history.
TJ HICKEY MEMORIAL MARCH AND VIGIL
On TUESDAY 24th FEBRUARY 2004 to coincide with "TJ's" Funeral in Walgett. Gather at the Block at 9am March to Phillip Street Redfern, "Turanga Block" vigial at site of "TJ's" death. March to Redfern Police Station to leave list of demands regarding the enquiries into his death.
Payback over Redfern riot after death in custody
A 37 year-old woman will appear in court today charged over her alleged involvement in a riot in Redfern on Sunday night. The woman from Hurstville was arrested yesterday and has been charged with riot, throwing a missile, affray and violent disorder. She was refused bail and will appear in Redfern Local Court later today.
Was Thomas Hickey payback?
Yesterday it was alleged police faced a potentially deadly confrontation with locals of a redfern housing block last week when a gun was grabbed from an officer's holster and held to his stomach.
Daily Telegraph alleged opposition: Bulldozer
NSW Opposition leader John Brogden has said we just need a bulldozer and that'll fix the problem after Sunday's death in custody and subsequent riot at Redfern.
Riot in Redfern over death in custody
The reported claim that 50 police were injured during rioting in Redfern over a death in custody is nothing more than a counter claim required to balance the argument that Thomas Hickey wasn't chased to his death by police.
Fatal accident prompts police pursuit probe
A fatal car accident in New South Wales has prompted a review of the procedures police use during high-speed pursuits. Police say a man and a young girl were killed when a speeding car crashed head-on into another car at McGrath's Hill in Sydney's north-west.
The Australian Institute of Criminology has released the National Deaths in Custody Program annual report for 2002 Between January and December 2002, there was a total of 69 deaths in custody in Australia. There were 50 deaths in prison custody and 19 deaths in police custody and custody-related police operations.
Riot in Redfern over death in custody
The reported claim that 50 police were injured during rioting in Redfern over a death in custody is nothing more than a counter claim required to balance the argument that Thomas Hickey wasn't chased to his death by police.
Fatal accident prompts police pursuit probe
A fatal car accident in New South Wales has prompted a review of the procedures police use during high-speed pursuits. Police say a man and a young girl were killed when a speeding car crashed head-on into another car at McGrath's Hill in Sydney's north-west.
The Australian Institute of Criminology has released the National Deaths in Custody Program annual report for 2002 Between January and December 2002, there was a total of 69 deaths in custody in Australia. There were 50 deaths in prison custody and 19 deaths in police custody and custody-related police operations.
