The cost of Miss Dhus death is far greater, said Gooda. He told VICE that jail should always be the last resort, and deaths in custody continue to devastate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities almost three decades after the Royal Commission.The Western Australian Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Ben Wyatt, echoed these sentiments to VICE. He said the governments policy of locking people up for unpaid fines amounts to a revolving door for Aboriginal people. If we are not going to offer alternatives to enforcement beyond jail, then we are going to effectively have a permanent underclass of Aboriginal people in particular who will be in and out of imprisonment simply to pay off outstanding fines, he said.Ms. Dhus death isnt the only case thats challenged Western Australias ability to protect human life. Her death comes six years after respected elder Mr. Ward died after being locked for four hours in an un-airconditioned prison van in the states searing summer heat. Over in NSW, theres also anger about another Aboriginal man who died in custody after driving without a valid license.For now, it looks like Australia is headed for yet another inquiry. Wyatt says he will be keenly awaiting the outcome of the coronial inquiry into Miss Dhus death. There are an incredible amount of questions to be answered. He says the most important questions are why she was incarcerated and, in particular, why she was given a clean bill of health and returned to police custody. A spokesperson for the WA Country Health Service, who runs the Headland Health Campus where Miss Dhu was seen, told VICE a preliminary review has shown that on each occasion she received appropriate treatment.The Internal Affairs Unit of the Western Australian Police is investigating Ms. Dhus death. A report is being prepared for the coroner. https://news.vice/article/aboriginal-australians-are-still-dying-in-police-custody
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 08:24:37 +0000
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