8 July 2025
The Northern Territory Police Association acknowledges the findings handed down by Judge Elisabeth Armitage into the death of Kumanjayi Walker.
We recognise the profound pain and impact this case has had on the Northern Territory Police Force, our members and on the family of Kumanjayi Walker, and the Yuendumu community, along with the wider community. This tragedy has left deep scars across many parts of our society, and we extend our sincere condolences to all those affected.
We also want to take this moment to acknowledge and commend the tireless work of Northern Territory Police officers. The men and women who show up every single day, often in the most difficult and distressing circumstances, to protect and serve our communities.
Their courage, dedication, and commitment to public safety deserves the highest recognition. They are the backbone of community safety in the Territory, and we are incredibly proud to stand beside them.
Policing in the Northern Territory remains the most complex and confronting jurisdiction in the country. Our members are on the frontline every day often responding to crises driven by decades of entrenched disadvantage, poverty, intergenerational trauma, and systemic neglect. These conditions give rise to domestic violence, substance abuse, child neglect, and broader community harm.
Police officers are not immune to the emotional toll of this work. They carry the weight of their duties heavily, facing trauma, conflict, and moral burden in communities that have long been failed by broader systems. They do their best to respond, protect, and serve, while often knowing the root causes lie beyond their reach. That weight is immense, and we know it is felt deeply by our members.
We recognise that the system has been broken for far too long, and that vulnerable Territorians continue to be failed by it. But we cannot turn away from difficult truths. The reality is that it is police who are left to deal with the consequences of these systemic failures. They are the ones who are regularly confronted by abusive and violent behaviour, and they are the ones who must protect the community, often at significant personal and emotional cost.
This constant exposure to trauma and harm takes a toll. It leads to empathy fatigue, moral injury, frustration, and burnout. In severe cases, it results in diagnosed psychological injury. Despite this, police are expected to maintain high standards of conduct and to set aside the impact of repeated exposure to violence and abuse in order to serve the community with professionalism and integrity.
To ensure this standard is upheld, the police force must:
• Proactively support officers before the job takes its toll, including through regular rotation out of high-stress operational roles and identifying at-risk members to provide early intervention, counselling, fatigue management and support services.
• Implement and enforce clear, consistent policies that address and correct poor behaviour within the force.
For years, commissioner after commissioner has introduced policies and training aimed at addressing these challenges and eliminating harmful attitudes within the force, specifically racism. Yet too often, these measures are not upheld or enforced. This was laid bare during the inquest, when former Commissioner Michael Murphy admitted he was too “busy” to follow up on serious allegations of racism within our force. This response was deeply disappointing and reinforces just how far we still have to go to create meaningful and lasting cultural change.
We thank Judge Armitage for her thorough and considered work in delivering these findings. In particular we note and wholeheartedly agree with paragraph 16 of Her Honour’s findings wherein she states:
Nothing in these Findings should be taken to mean that I think that police are not entitled to lawfully defend themselves against serious attacks. Of course they can, and they should. In fact, an important aim of these Findings is to make recommendations to reduce the risk of serious attacks – or any attacks – upon Police, who perform a vital role in our community.
We commit to working with the Northern Territory Police Force through the recommendations and to contributing positively to the important conversations.
