Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT has slammed the police and government handling of racism in the force.
APO NT noted on Monday that in the recent coronial inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker, Territory Police Commissioner, Michael Murphy, said he was "too busy" to order an investigation into allegations of racist behaviour among elite police officers.
The beak body alliance also pointed out that Police Minister Brent Potter had denied the exixtence of systemic racism in the NT Police Force.
"These comments are incomprehensible, given that elite officers in the Territory Response Group handed out racist awards between 2007 and 2015," APO NT said in a statement.
"This situation is unacceptable. We expect better from the NT police. Aboriginal people turn to the police for safety, protection and understanding at critical points in their lives. Instead, we experience racism, ridicule and dehumanisation.
"NT Police should not tolerate racism or attempts to deny it, this denial, is in and of itself, racism. We call for an immediate apology from the NT Police Commissioner and the Minister for Police."
The coalition of NT Indigenous peak bodies said that "despite recent comments from Chief Minister Eva Lawler minimising the ongoing impact of racism in the police force, racism doesn't appear or disappear overnight".
The alliance called for significant efforts by key institutions to address systemic racism.
"The normalisation of such racism is currently being exposed in the NT Coronial Inquest of Kumanjayi Walker," APO NT said, noting that it was police officials themselves who are now acknowledging the problem.
APO NT said recent amendments to the NT Police Administration Act 1978 allowing the NT Police Commissioner to enact public disorder declarations that contradict the legal obligations of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 gave police a "power to discriminate" in an environment where the NT Police Force is accused of racism.
APO NT said the development is "deeply concerning" and creates "a high-risk environment for Aboriginal people when institutional racism is clearly present and explicit".
The peak body alliance cited human rights expert and member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Dr Hannah McGlade, who said "more accountability against racism is needed to reform Australian police forces' relationship with Aboriginal people".
Aboriginal Peak Organisations said on monday that it awaits the outcome and determinations of the Kumanjayi Walker Coronial Inquest to "understand how racism potentially played a role in the events leading up to and following the death of Mr Walker".
"We also call for an urgent independent review of the NT Police Force with Terms of Reference explicitly addressing the role of systemic racism.
"The Chief Minister must show leadership and apologise to Aboriginal Territorians for the distress caused by the recent public commentary made by the NT Police Commissioner, the Minister for Police, and herself, and for failing to address long-standing systemic institutionalised racism in the NT Police Force," APO NT said, noting the words of independent MP for Mulka, Yingiya Mark Guyala, who has called for "real action to change a culture than normalises racism and dehumanises people".
