CPA - The Guardian

More than 1,000 people braved the often wet and windy conditions in Perth last Saturday to protest against the death in custody of Ngaanyatjarra Elder Mr Ward whose poor treatment had been the subject of a coronial inquest which had its scathing findings revealed last week.

Throughout the week the government had been forced into damage control over the public outcry which had been caused by the negligence and absence of care afforded to Mr Ward in the events leading up to his death from heat stroke on January 27, 2008 after being transported long distance in a police van without air conditioning run by private security company G4S.

The Deaths in Custody Watch Committee (WA) called the rally following the outcome of the release of the findings of the State Coroner into the death of Mr Ward.

There were several stirring and compelling speeches by leading Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal leaders including Martu Elder Teddy Biljabu who had been appointed by Mr Ward’s family in Warburton to speak on their behalf. “The justice system still hasn’t been fixed with people dying in custody for small things,” Mr Biljabu said in reference to the alcohol related driving incident on an outback desert road for which Mr Ward had been put into custody. He called on “the people who did this to be punished for their criminal actions.”

Ted Wilkes a Noongar man and Associate Professor in Aboriginal Health at Curtin University said, “while most white people were decent when it came to dealing with Aboriginal people there were those who are distinctly biased and racist.”

The deaths in custody are also symptomatic of a larger malaise affecting Aboriginal people and this extends to the lack of resources and seriousness which are allocated to Aboriginal health.

Mr Wilkes said that it was possible today to overcome racism by learning to “get on with your neighbours and people of all colours and creeds.”

The large crowd then marched through the city including a minutes silence to acknowledge the death of Mr Ward before returning to Forrest Place where an open microphone allowed several more mostly Aboriginal speakers present their experiences.

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