The Central Land Council executive committee has called for the Northern Territory's Anti-Discrimination Commissioner to launch a review into systemic racism in the NT Police Force.
Last month, a narrow investigation by the Office of the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) into racism in the Northern Territory Police Force (NTPF) found "no admissible evidence" five officers lied to the court during the inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker.
Nonetheless, Patricia Kelly SC, who led the investigation, concluded "any person of reasonable intelligence" would see evident racism in a series of informal awards for "c**n of the year".
Meeting for the first time since the ICAC report, the eleven elected members of the Central Land Council's (CLC) executive committee said the report didn't reflect Aboriginal people's experiences of racism in the NT police.
"There is no Aboriginal Territorian alive who has not witnessed or experienced racist acts by the police," CLC chair Warren Williams said, arguing the ICAC investigation failed to address community concerns about systemic racism within the NTPF.
He called for an independent review "that does not cast doubt on our lived experience".
The CLC also called for the NT government to resource the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner to carry out the review.
"I stand with Northern Land Council chair Matthew Ryan who said that 'things can only improve if we start with truth telling'," Mr Williams said.
"Truth-telling is the first step towards an anti-racist system."
Indigenous Territorians have long criticised police behaviour, arguing racism in the force has been well known and tolerated.
Kumanjayi Walker's cousin, Samara Fernandez-Brown, told National Indigenous Times earlier this year the existence of racism in the NT Police was something Indigenous community members had long known, and had been making repeated complaints about for years.
"For us, it has been something that has existed forever," Ms Fernandez-Brown said.
Earlier this year, three serving Aboriginal Police Officers lodged a representative complaint against the NT Government and the Police Commissioner with the Australian Human Rights Commission, alleging twenty years of racial discrimination.
They allege racial vilification and derision, and an unequal system of pay and promotion.
It came after Police Commissioner Michael Murphy apologised to Aboriginal Territorians at the Garma Festival this year for the "the past harms and the injustices caused by members of the Northern Territory Police".
The NTPF also appointed Arrernte woman Leanne Liddle to drive internal reform, something Mr Williams said was a "step forward, but it's not enough".
"Actions speak louder than words and appointments," he said.
At an inquest into the death of Mr Walker, former constable Zachary Rolfe, who was found not guilty of both murder and manslaughter in the death of Mr Walker, was described as undeniably racist by the NT Police's own counsel.
"People who talk about 'loser locals, c**ns, neanderthals … on the basis of their Aboriginality, are racists, and it's important to call it as it is," Ian Freckelton KC told an inquest into Mr Walker's death.
Allegations of racism emerged publicly in February whilst Mr Rolfe was giving evidence.
He told the inquest the elite TRG gave racist mock awards to members who displayed the most "Aboriginal-like behaviour"—referred to as "c**n of the year" or "Nugedah" award.
He produced three certificates - allegedly awarded to TRG members – including one printed on an Aboriginal flag, whilst further revelations revealed a racist game of monopoly from 2008, with every square on the board marked "go to jail".
The specific ICAC findings, which were unable to expand due to funding and staff constraints, led Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro to claim the report exonerated claims of systemic racism in the NTPF.
The CLP has never supported the view that there is systemic racism within the Northern Territory police force," she said at the time.
"This report puts those claims to bed... This period has caused much angst and distress amongst our hardworking police."
Mr Williams was in complete disagreement.
"We know police officers in our communities are under stress because they lack resources but denying that racism exists among their colleagues hurts everyone," he said.
"It ignores our lived experiences, and it means police officers face no pressure to change their attitudes and behaviour."