NT MLA Accuses Governments of Negligence After Remote Community Death
Yingiya Guyula, an independent member of the Northern Territory parliament and Yolŋu elder, has accused successive Labor and Country Liberal Party (CLP) governments of having 'blood on their hands' following the death of a 26-year-old man in Milingimbi. The incident occurred during violent clashes between family groups in the remote Arnhem Land community. Guyula argues that governments have ignored his decade-long calls for local solutions, such as increased housing on traditional homelands to separate conflicting clans and the establishment of 'raypirri' camps for offender rehabilitation instead of imprisonment. He highlighted a disparity in government response, noting that deaths of non-Indigenous individuals trigger urgent legislative action, whereas Indigenous community deaths receive insufficient support. While NT Treasurer Bill Yan described the event as tragic and urged community unity, a Labor spokesperson blamed the CLP for cutting community safety programs. The police investigation into the death is ongoing, amidst rising incarceration rates for Indigenous people in the territory.
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NT MLA Accuses Governments of Negligence After Remote Community Death
Yingiya Guyula, an independent member of the Northern Territory parliament and Yolŋu elder, has accused successive Labor and Country Liberal Party (CLP) governments of having 'blood on their hands' following the death of a 26-year-old man in Milingimbi. The incident occurred during violent clashes between family groups in the remote Arnhem Land community. Guyula argues that governments have ignored his decade-long calls for local solutions, such as increased housing on traditional homelands to separate conflicting clans and the establishment of 'raypirri' camps for offender rehabilitation instead of imprisonment. He highlighted a disparity in government response, noting that deaths of non-Indigenous individuals trigger urgent legislative action, whereas Indigenous community deaths receive insufficient support. While NT Treasurer Bill Yan described the event as tragic and urged community unity, a Labor spokesperson blamed the CLP for cutting community safety programs. The police investigation into the death is ongoing, amidst rising incarceration rates for Indigenous people in the territory.
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