Uncle Percy Lovett, partner of Veronica Nelson, has issued a statement following the coronial inquest findings on the death of Ms Nelson in custody. National Indigenous Times has published the statement below.

Veronica was the love of my life. We were together for more than 20 years and we did everything together. She was a kind and loving girl, who would always help people, no matter who they were. She taught me everything I know about Aboriginal culture.

I came to court every day and now I know how Veronica died, how she died in pain, begging for help. Every night, as soon as I shut my eyes, I can hear her crying out 'Daddy Daddy Daddy'. She's really hurting. I know every bit of pain she was feeling. When you've been with a person that long, you know how they bare pain.

The prison guards, doctors and nurses, and all the people in charge neglected her and let her die. They were cruel and racist. They lied to her, laughed at her, and told her to stop asking for help. All while she was dying. They treated her like she wasn't human.

The other women in prison were the only ones who tried to help.

Veronica shouldn't have died. All she needed was to go to hospital. If she was at home, I would have taken her. Then she would be alive today. We would still be together.

Veronica should never have even been in jail in the first place. The police officer who arrested her was off duty. She was just walking down the street minding her own business. She wouldn't have been picked up if she was a white woman. The police target us Blackfullas.

I was in court when Veronica applied for bail. No one came up to me or asked me anything... The Magistrate had made up her mind before Veronica started speaking. No one listened to Veronica.

After she died, Correct Care and the Government tried to sweep her death under the rug. They didn't do proper reviews. They lied in their reviews. They said that they had done a good job even though they had all the evidence and all the tapes.

Both Correct Care and the Government tried to stop us getting information about Veronica's death. We had to fight them for information.

I thank Nurse Stephanie Hills for coming forward and telling the truth about what happened to Veronica. I know she tried to help Veronica.

Thank you to Coroner McGregor and Counsel Assisting for properly investigating what happened to Veronica. Thank you for treating Veronica with dignity, for listening to her, and for telling the truth about what happened.

Now, it is up to the government and people in charge to listen. They need to make sure what happened to Veronica never happens again.

The organisations and people responsible for Veronica's death need to be held accountable.

Us Blackfullas are held accountable when we do something wrong, so they have to be held accountable.

The prison officers, especially Tracey Brown, doctors and nurses, especially Dr Sean Runacres and Nurse Athaena George, who ignored Veronica, should not be able to work in a prison again.

The police officer who arrested Veronica should be investigated.

Correct Care Australasia should be prosecuted for their role in Veronica's death and for covering up her death.

The people in the Government, who said nothing was done wrong, need to be held to account. Corrections Victoria need to take responsibility for not caring for Veronica and for all the prison officers who neglected Veronica.

The Government needs to make big changes to stop this from happening again. The Government needs to fix prison healthcare. These companies who just want to make profits off us shouldn't be involved in healthcare in prisons.

Blackfullas should be able to get healthcare from the Aboriginal Health Services. They should have the same doctors and nurses as in the community.

The bail laws have got to be changed, they just have to. Veronica shouldn't have been in jail, she should have got bail. No one should be in prison for shoplifting.

The government needs to properly investigate deaths in custody and not let anyone sweep them under the rug again. They need to listen to families and stop ignoring us.

Any changes to laws should be called Poccum's Law, the nickname for Veronica by her mother, Aunty Donna.

I want everyone to remember what happened to Veronica. The Premier, every government minister, every head of a prison, every prison guard, every doctor and nurse in prison, every police officer, every lawyer and every Magistrate. They have to see what happened to Veronica and to change.

No one should have to die in prison. No one should die in pain. No one should die alone in a prison cell.

Thank you to all the people who have supported us. To Troy and the Koori Team at the Court, the women at the Coroner's Court, the Dhadjowa Foundation, all the people who donated food, and all the people who came to Court to support us.

I especially want to thank Nari McGregor, mine and Veronica's old friend, who came to Court with her children every day.

I mostly want to thank my lawyers at VALS, Sarah and the team, and my Counsel, Andrew and Steph, for the amazing job they've done fighting for justice for Veronica.