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Bribe row overshadows Palm inquest

Story from AAP

25 February 2005 - A bribery scandal is threatening to overshadow a long-awaited investigation into the death of an Aboriginal man in custody on Palm Island off Queensland.

The people of the picturesque island want to know the truth behind the fate of 36-year-old Mulrunji Doomadgee, whose death on November 19 last year sparked riots a week later and a race debate across Australia.

But the coronial inquest into the watch house death opens on Monday with tensions at an all-time high between the Queensland government and the Palm Island Council.

While last-minute plans were made this week for the inquest, which will be held in two separate locations because of riot fears, giant cracks emerged in relations between the state government and council.

They have remained strained since the death, after riot police were sent to the island to quell a crowd which destroyed the island's police station, courthouse and the house of the officer-in-charge.

The relations were delivered a major blow last week when the council boycotted a visit by Premier Peter Beattie to officially open a new building, which will stage the inquest.

His arrival on the island, less than a fortnight from the inquest, was treated with cynicism by the council, who wanted the Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) opened at a later date.

Since then, the council has forwarded a petition, signed by hundreds of islanders, to Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone calling for a royal commission into Mulrunji's death.

Following the snub, Mr Beattie said he had power to sack the council, which was elected in 2004.

But, the relationship suffered terminal damage in state parliament this week.

Mr Beattie was accused of trying to blackmail the council to join in the opening of the PCYC in exchange for an offer to wipe an $800,000 debt.

Council lawyers say the debt was racked up by accountants from nearby Townsville, who served as state government-appointed administrators for a year when the previous council was dismissed by the government.

Mr Beattie launched a pre-emptive strike against the claims, getting up in parliament before they became public on Thursday to announce he was referring the allegations to the state's corruption watchdog.

It stunned his parliamentary colleagues who then watched as he deflected opposition attacks on his character.

"We know Mr Beattie calls himself a media tart but he wanted to turn this into an $800,000 media circus," National Party leader Lawrence Springborg said.

The inquest is now set to go ahead while a cloud hangs over the integrity of the state's leader.

Indigenous leader and Doomadgee family spokesman Brad Foster said locals believed the inquest would be a "whitewash by Queensland authorities".

They had forwarded their petition to Australian Governor-General Michael Jeffery and other political parties including Labor and the Australian Democrats, he said.

"The people of Palm Island aren't very happy about how things are proceeding over on the island, not very happy about how the CMC (Crime and Misconduct Commission) have been doing their investigation, they're not very happy about the coronial process that's going on at the moment," Mr Foster said.

"Since the (initial) royal commission (into Aboriginal deaths in custody) has come into play since 1991, there's never been one police officer charged.

"We want justice just like anyone else does."

More than 50 witnesses will testify at the inquest, which will move from the island to nearby Townsville, 65km away on the coast, for the more contentious police evidence.

Police refuse to reveal the size of their contingent but have given approval for council employees to act as security guards at the PCYC hall, where the hearing will go ahead on the basketball court floor.

Up until the opening a week ago, the arena was closed to the island's children, who regularly play outside in the remains of a construction site for the building.

Mr Beattie justified his actions in state parliament this week, saying he was concerned "for the children" of the island.

But, one of those children, 15-year-old Eric Doomadgee, the forgotten son of Mulrunji, is still awaiting closure over the death of his father.

He will be there, along with 40 other family members, including Mulrunji's de facto Tracey Twaddle, waiting for state coroner Michael Barnes to deliver his findings.

Source: The Age

Beattie issue won't delay Palm inquest

Story from AAP

25 February 2005 - Queensland Premier Peter Beattie says allegations of political blackmail involving him and the Palm Island Council will not interfere with a coronial inquiry due to start on Monday.

The inquiry will investigate the death of Mulrunji Doomadgee, 36, whose death in police custody last November sparked riots on the island.

Mr Beattie said the inquiry would go ahead as planned, despite allegations he had attempted to blackmail the Palm Island Council in exchange for a public show of support in opening a controversial new community centre.

"Even though I was angry about the way I was treated, when you are premier you have got to be able to cop it," Mr Beattie told Brisbane Radio 4BC.

"They will be treated fairly, they will be treated honestly in terms of this inquiry.

"I think the truth will come out and people will see for themselves and, hopefully, we can actually change this island so these problems never happen again."

Mr Beattie continued to defend his actions following allegations he offered to waive an $800,000 debt in exchange for the council's support in opening a controversial new Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) on the island last week.

Mr Beattie said the council had released just "a tiny bit of tape" to the media in which he was heard offering the inducement.

While confirming the words were his, the premier said the comments were part of a package, including new housing and a new school prep year, to help the community.

"We were trying to actually break the problem," Mr Beattie said.

"I didn't want any more riots, I was trying to come up with a total package ... to give them a start so they could start managing their affairs properly. This was a small investment to save millions."

Mr Beattie said the council had in fact clocked up a debt of $1.5 million which had been reduced to $800,000 by the administrator.

He said despite the political furore, children had swarmed into the PCYC when it opened on Thursday.

"I get so frustrated trying to deal with communities like this where we are trying to do the right thing," Mr Beattie said.

"The taxpayers paid $5.5 million for this centre, and I was not going to let it sit there like a white elephant."

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

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