Aboriginal police officers file class action against Northern Territory over alleged racism
Current and former Aboriginal members of the NT Police have launched a class-action lawsuit against the Territory government, alleging decades of racial discrimination and unequal pay.
A group of Aboriginal officers, both serving and retired, have filed a class-action suit in the Federal Court against the Northern Territory government, asserting they endured systemic racial vilification, offensive language and lower wages than non-Indigenous colleagues. The action stems from an abandoned 2024 complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission, which gave the officers a 60-day window to pursue litigation.
Shawn Lewfatt, who joined the NT Police in 1998, described the lawsuit as a last resort after years of internal attempts to address the issue. Gordon Legal, representing the claimants, says the plaintiffs seek monetary damages, a formal apology, and broader reforms for a safer workplace. The case is slated for an initial hearing later this month, with a trial targeted for 2027. NT Police declined further comment, noting the proceedings are ongoing.
Why it matters
The lawsuit highlights persistent claims of institutional racism within a major police force, prompting scrutiny of workplace equality and government accountability.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps report the same class-action filing and allegations, but left-leaning coverage stresses the systemic nature of the racism and police leadership’s failure to act, while centrist coverage presents the suit in a more neutral tone as a last-resort legal step seeking damages and reforms.
LEFT
Frames the lawsuit as evidence of systemic racial vilification and institutional neglect within the NT police.
CENTER
Reports the class-action as a legal response to alleged racism and pay disparities, emphasizing the plaintiffs’ demands for compensation and reforms.
The left emphasises
- systemic racial vilification
- offensive slurs such as "boong" and "coons"
- pay gaps between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous officers
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