The family of Kumanjayi Walker and the Yuendumu Community, supported by more than 20 Aboriginal, community, family violence and legal organisations, have written to the Northern Territory Chief Minister, other senior ministers and the Acting NT Police Commissioner urging that the NT government commit to the findings and recommendations of Coroner Elisabeth Armitage in the coronial inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker; to the establishment of a Police Ombudsman in the Territory; and to working with the Yuendumu community.

The open letter, published Tuesday, comes after the Territory government has downplayed the Coroner's findings and refused to commit to implementing any of her recommendations, flagging instead changes to limit the resources and time dedicated to coronial inquests.

The letter to Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro; Attorney-General Marie Boothby; Steven Edgington - Minister for Health and Aboriginal Affairs; Robyn Cahill - Minister for Children and Families; Jo Hersey - Minister for Education and Training; Jinson Charles - Minister for Youth, Seniors and Equality; and Acting NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole is below.

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Dear Chief Minister, Ministers and Acting Police Commissioner,

No more Aboriginal deaths at the hands of police: The time to work with yapa is now

The family of Kumanjayi Walker and the Yuendumu Community, alongside 23 Aboriginal, community, family violence and legal organisations, today calls on the Finocchiaro government to publicly commit to the findings and recommendations of Coroner Armitage in the coronial inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker and engage with Aboriginal communities and the legal sector. Aboriginal deaths at the hands of police must stop. Aboriginal people have the solutions and now is the time to work with us to ensure that our people thrive and our children grow up safe and supported. Change is not only possible, but also well overdue.

Kumanjayi Walker was killed after being shot three times at close range by a police officer who the Coroner found was "a racist", had "derived satisfaction" from using excessive force and had not been properly disciplined or supervised by the NT Police. The Coroner formally found what Aboriginal people in the NT have always known – that no-one is holding NT Police accountable when they use excessive force and hurt Aboriginal people, and that there is entrenched systemic and structural racism within NT Police. Devastatingly, Kumanjayi Walker's death was found to be "entirely avoidable".

It is clear to the Yuendumu community, as well as to the Aboriginal community and legal sectors, that there must be independent oversight of police. We are calling for the establishment of a NT Police Ombudsman to independently investigate police misconduct, excessive use of force and systemic racism. Most importantly, a Police Ombudsman should have clear powers and resources to independently investigate Aboriginal deaths in police custody.

The coroner also made specific recommendations for the Finocchiaro government to implement. Many of them involve working directly with Yuendumu community representatives and the legal sector to implement community-led solutions. These include developing Aboriginal led on country programs, rehabilitation and diversion services for young people6, resourcing culturally skilled mediators, elevating the work of our Aboriginal community police officers and developing an anti-racism strategy.

These recommendations recognise what we have been trying to tell the government for many years – that it is only through self-governance, self-determination and full-community control that Warlpiri people can begin to heal, and then dream of a safer, happier future where our children flourish.

Warlpiri people and all Aboriginal people want lasting change that uplifts our people and ensures a strong, healthy future for generations to come. We do not need to be "fixed" by others - now is the time to genuinely listen, to clear the path for our autonomy, and to provide the resources and support that will enable us to shape our own future. This is what will bring lasting solutions and restore trust. These are not only the right things to do, they are essential steps to prevent needless loss of life and build a better future for all. We are ready to work together for profound, lasting change. We urge you to act now and to act boldly.

We call on the Finocchiaro government to:

1. Publicly commit to implementing the recommendations of Coroner Armitage from the coronial inquest into Kumanjayi Walker's death.

2. Publicly commit to establishing a Police Ombudsman in the Northern Territory so that there is independent investigations of police misconduct and deaths in custody

3. To commence working and engaging with Kurdiji Wita Cultural Authority Yuendumu Aboriginal Corporation consisting of representatives from the 16 Skin groups in the Yuendumu community, and from the Aboriginal community and legal sectors, to progress the implementation of Coroner Armitage's recommendations.

Sincerely,

Samara Fernandez-Brown, cousin to Kumanjayi Walker

Joyce Brown

Leanne Oldfield

Margaret Brown

Steven Marshall

Ned Hargraves

Derek Williams

Robin Granites

Karl Hampton

Rachael Hocking

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The organisations who co-signed the letter with Mr Walker's family are: Human Rights Law Centre; NATSILS (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services); Justice Not Jails, CAWLS Women's Legal Service; Her Story Mparntwe; First Peoples Disability Network; Australian Child Rights Taskforce; Justice Reform Initiative; Jailing Is Failing; NTCOSS; Central Australian Youth Justice (CAYJ); Smarter Justice for Safer Communities; Amnesty International; ANTAR; Australian Childhood Foundation; Liberty Victoria; Children's Ground; Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA); Save The Children; Democracy In Colour; 54 Reasons; The Warlpiri Project; Clothing The Gaps; and the Dhadjowa Foundation.

A spokesperson for the NT government told National Indigenous Times government "welcomes the conclusion" of the inquest, which it called a "lengthy process, which has taken a significant toll on the community and the NT Police Force".

"The government will now take the time to consider the findings and recommendations, noting that much has changed over the last six years. The Coronial inquest ran over multiple years, resulting in a substantial report that was only handed down earlier this month," they said.