Ongoing Unrest in Wadeye
Traditional owners from Wadeye, the Northern Territory's second-largest Indigenous community, have requested additional support to address a month of attacks on homes and conflicts involving up to 100 armed individuals. The NT Police Force reported using tear gas to disperse crowds over the weekend, though groups subsequently reformed to continue fighting.
Traditional owners from Wadeye have requested additional support to address a month of attacks on homes and conflicts involving up to 100 armed individuals.
Ernestina Perdjert, a Wadeye Kardu Diminin traditional owner, expressed concerns for safety following weeks of attacks on her family. She stated that mobs of armed people attacked the houses of two cousins and her niece over multiple nights last week, using weapons such as crossbows, axes, and spears. A nephew sustained a head injury from a rock.
Property damage included a burnt power box, leaving residents without electricity, and theft of belongings. Two of her cousins' cars were also burnt by groups two weeks prior.
Police Response and Community Appeals
The NT Police Force seized a significant quantity of weapons in Wadeye in early January after a prior disturbance. In the past week, 26 arrests have been made, and weapons including crossbows, bows and arrows, and axes have been confiscated.
On Saturday, large groups reportedly used makeshift weapons, including window louvres, during confrontations. A man was wounded by a crossbow in early January, though no serious injuries were reported over the recent weekend. Two police cars were damaged, and six additional officers have been deployed to Wadeye.
Acting NT Police Commander Terry Zhang confirmed the deployment of five extra officers to support local personnel. He urged the community to resolve its differences, noting the involvement of young people aged 8 to 15 in the street fighting.
Acting NT Police Commander Terry Zhang emphasized that law enforcement alone cannot address the root causes and called for a collective response from families, leaders, and the broader community.
Underlying Causes and Proposed Solutions
Violence in Wadeye has been attributed to decades-old disputes among families from dozens of Indigenous clans residing on Kardu Diminin traditional lands. Ms. Perdjert suggested recent feuds might stem from jealousy over her family's traditional ownership of Wadeye land.
Other community leaders, including Gregory Munar, Virginia Kinthari, Adrian Lantjin, and Paschal Kolumboort, stated that disputes could arise from disagreements over food, money, overcrowding, or personal conflicts, sometimes escalated by young men.
Dheran Young, the local Labor Opposition MP, has advocated for the NT government to implement a plan to fund families returning to their tribal homeland communities. This initiative aims to reduce tensions caused by various tribes living in close proximity. Ms. Perdjert supported this proposal, expressing a desire for peace in the community.
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro described the violence as "disappointing" and reiterated calls for community-led resolutions. She confirmed additional resources, including the Territory Response Group (TRG), were supplementing local police efforts.