Aboriginal elders demand royal commission and minister’s resignation over Pilbara child protection failures

Aboriginal leaders, including Nyamal elder Linda Doogiebee-Dridi, have urged a royal commission into the Western Australian child protection system and called for the resignation of Child Protection Minister Jessica Stojkovski, alleging negligence and a lack of consultation on the situation at a home on Frisby Court in Port Hedland. The controversy was sparked by media reports that more than a dozen children were left unsupervised, prompting two state ministers and the National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People, Sue-Anne Hunter, to visit the town.

Opposition leader Basil Zempilas and Shadow Child Protection Minister Nick Goiran have also condemned the handling and suggested a standalone child protection department. Minister for the Pilbara Amber-Jade Sanderson announced a weekly child health safety leadership group, while Stojkovski said the investigation was closed, the family removed, and she would not resign, pledging to address problems. An independent roundtable in Perth, described as culturally safe, is set for later this week to hear community voices and examine systemic issues.