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Too many in jail for drive crime: Bowler

11 February 2008 - The death of Aboriginal elder Ian Ward in the back of a prison transport van highlights the unacceptable number of Aboriginal people imprisoned for driving offences, says Murchison-Eyre MLA John Bowler.

Mr Ward collapsed in the back of a van travelling between Laverton and Kalgoorlie on January 27 when temperatures reached more than 40 degrees.

The Warburton man had spent Australia Day with family in Laverton when he was picked up for drink driving with a blood alcohol reading nearly four times the legal limit.

Already serving a suspended sentence for a driving offence, Mr Ward was arrested and remanded in custody to be transported to Kalgoorlie.

Mr Bowler demanded to know why Mr Ward's case could not have been handled in Laverton.

“Everyone is asking whether there was air-conditioning in the back of the van, but what I want to know why he, at the cost of thousands of dollars, was driven 250km away from family rather than the case being dealt with swiftly by the courts in Laverton and sent on his way,” Mr Bowler said.

“People get picked up for drink driving in Kalgoorlie-Boulder all the time, they don't necessarily get jailed for drink driving.

“The cost of that van going to Laverton would probably be more than the most severe drink driving fine.”

Mr Bowler said the case highlighted the big number of Aboriginal people jailed for driving offences – in particular for driving without a licence.

Aboriginal people in outlying communities were repeatedly jailed for driving without a licence or driving while under suspension, Mr Bowler said.

“Jails are full of Aboriginal people who are getting caught for driving without a white man's piece of paper,” he said.

“We seem to have a society more worried about breaching our regulations than people in vicious assaults.”

Mr Bowler called on Attorney General Jim McGinty to take action on the dire situation.

“Jim McGinty is aware of this,” he said. “I organised a meeting for Ngaanyatjarraku shire president Damien McLean to meet Jim McGinty on this issue more than a year ago and still nothing has been done.

“Jim McGinty should be moving swiftly on this.”

GEORGIA LONEY

Source: The Western Australian

Further information: respected Aboriginal elder Mr Ian Ward - death in custody

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