Labor MP Marion Scrymgour has launched a scathing critique of the federal government, accusing it of losing focus on the urgent issue of Indigenous deaths in custody.
Her comments come after the death of a 68-year-old Wadeye Elder, who passed away in Royal Darwin Hospital over the weekend after being prevented by federal police from boarding a flight out of Darwin on May 30.
The incident occurred less than two weeks after the death in custody of Kumanjayi White, a 24-year-old Warlpiri man who died after being restrained by two plain-clothed NT Police officers in Mparntwe/Alice Springs. Mr White was under state guardianship and living in supported accommodation at the time of his death.
Speaking on ABC News Breakfast on Monday, Ms Scrymgour — who represents the vast electorate of Lingiari, which includes both Mparntwe and Yuendumu, where Mr White had strong community ties — said it was time for the Prime Minister to take action.
Arguing the federal government "needs to show the leadership," the newly appointed special envoy for remote communities said: "Aboriginal people are being completely ostracised and victimised, and people are dying."
Ms Scrymgour argued there must be an audit and review of the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, highlighting that many of its recommendations have never been implemented.
"The federal government needs to have a look at all of those recommendations, and certainly, as the federal member, I'll be talking to Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, the new Attorney-General Michelle Rowland and also [Home Affairs Minister] Tony Burke to have a look at where are we at with this," she said.
"This needs the leadership from our cabinet … everyone's taken their eye off the ball in terms of the recommendations."
She called for an "immediate review" of the Commission's findings and urged the government to "proceed accordingly".
"Our people are dying prematurely and that needs to be looked at," she said.
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Despite repeated calls from Mr White's family, Indigenous leaders, legal and human rights organisations — and the federal Minister for Indigenous Australians — both the NT Police and Chief Minister have refused to allow an independent investigation, despite stating their commitment to transparency.
Last week, Ms Scrymgour called for the Australian Federal Police to take over the investigation into Mr White's death.
"Having detectives from the AFP take over and complete the investigation which has recently been commenced would both extract NT detectives from a role which would inevitably subject them to scrutiny and criticism and would enable the Yuendumu community to have full confidence in the process going forward. This is a first step towards healing and justice," she said.
According to the Australian Institute of Criminology, at least 597 First Nations people have died in custody since 1991. Twelve of those deaths have occurred in 2025 alone.
To date, no one has been found guilty in connection with any of those deaths.
In a statement released over the weekend, George Newhouse — Chief Executive of the Sydney-based National Justice Project — said Mr White's family are "angry and heartbroken" that another Warlpiri man has died in custody.
Mr Newhouse said Mr White was "deeply loved and missed by his family and his people", adding that the message from nationwide rallies held on Sunday was clear: "We stand with Warlpiri. No more deaths in custody."
He also criticised the NT government's refusal to allow an independent investigation.
"The family has called for these investigations to be independent, but this demand has been unjustly rejected by Northern Territory Chief Minister who continues to oversee a racist agenda against the NT's Indigenous peoples," he said.
Mr Newhouse added: "Now that a criminal investigation is underway, the family call on the Northern Territory police officers involved to be stood down immediately. This should be an obvious action in any criminal inquiry. Stand down now."
National Indigenous Times reported last week that none of the NT police officers allegedly involved in Mr White's arrest have been stood down — more than a week after his death.
On Tuesday, Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe reaffirmed her support for federal intervention, telling ABC RN: "Every death in custody has such an impact on our families and communities."
Senator Thorpe, who led a rally in Naarm on Friday, described the toll on families as "ongoing trauma" and renewed her call for action from Canberra.
"We need federal leadership. We need the feds to step in here. We need the prime minister to come out," the Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung Senator said.
"He came out on vaping. He came out on social media to stop kids from accessing social media. He called the states and territories to account for those issues. So he needs to do the same for deaths in custody."
