Aurukun: Aboriginal town under 'siege'

After months of sporadic street fighting, a group of Aboriginal elders says their Queensland community is under siege, from within and by authorities.

An Aboriginal community’s elders say their Cape York town of Aurukun is "under siege", both from within and by authorities, after months of sporadic street fighting.

Now, police-monitored CCTV will be installed in the remote, far-north Queensland town after long-running clan rivalries turned deadly late last year. 

Elders say a plan to resolve long-term problems in Aurukun is needed. Politicians say they are willing to listen but as a first step are turning to electronic surveillance.

“People are scared still and there's still a tension about,” said Phyllis Yunkaporta, a founder of the Aurukun Wik Womens’ Group. 

“People really feel not right in themselves about going about daily business, like going into the office. They fear pretty much that there’s going to be a confrontation."

Violence, police and arrests

There is an uneasy calm in Aurukun in the heat of summer. 

A team of 10 police usually serves the community of 1,200 people, but there has been repeated calls for the riot squad to suppress outbursts of inter-family clan violence.

“I feel we are under siege sometimes, then again, wouldn’t you think we would want a situation diffused?” said Ms Yunkaporta, who also sits on the Cape York Land Council board and the Ngan Aak-Kunch native title body.

“Rather than cause more confusion, we really need to address the concerns and the problems especially.”

Aurukun’s only supermarket was the target of looters, who caused more than $100,000 in damage. Source: Stefan Armbruster SBS

Life in Aurukun has been punctuated by large disturbances and violent street fights for years. 

Since November, one person has been charged with murder, houses and a police car shot at and the supermarket looted, with more than $100,000 of damage caused.

The arrival of police reinforcements saw 50 people charged in relation to the violent incidents in the community.

“You have to understand, Aurukun is a cultural-based community - it's got a lot of history around that culture, and part of that culture is fair fights,” far-north Queensland Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Taylor said.

“While some people who aren’t from this community, and people who are born and bred elsewhere, mightn’t understand, but that’s part and parcel of culture.

“Police have worked very hard in partnership with community, with council, other agencies that work within Aurukun to make sure that we are policing the community in a culturally appropriate way.”

Queensland government ministers and police commissioners visited Aurukun last week. For some it was the third time in as many months. 

Aurukun mayor Dereck Walpo welcomed Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Partnerships Minister, Curtis Pitt, telling the visitors, "It’s settled down a little bit, no, I would say I think it’s calm, not settled”.

Mr Pitt announced the installation of a $1.3 million CCTV system in Aurukun, with funding from the federal government.

File photo. Source: Stefan Armbruster SBS

“We know the CCTV doesn't mean we'll catch people in the job, or in the act or on every occasion,” he said.

“It's going to be great at providing evidence and we hope what it will do is provide a deterrent so that local people will know there will be people watching.

“Of course if we can see a behavioural change, that's going to be a good outcome for the people in the community that are doing the right thing.”

But Ms Yunkaporta does not think the cameras will work.

“It will eventually get smashed up and shanghaied by our Wik kids,” she said.

Also announced was another $1 million to rebuild the local police youth club.

Mr Walpo, who worked alongside the state and federal governments on the CCTV installation, said he thought “the government is trying to help up solve the problems”. 

“But at the end of the day it’s the people in the community that’s got to stand up and be counted,“ he said.

Disadvantaged community

Aurukun is one of the most disadvantaged Aboriginal communities in Australia with mass unemployment, drugs and alcohol and the legacy of the mission system. 

Displays of force and surveillance are short-term solutions.

“I respect the police for being here and the work they do," Ms Yunkaporta said.

"Of course we know they do a good job.

“[But] when more [police] reinforcements come in, it only intimidates the community. When the SWAT team [comes in], heavily armed, and weapons on the go, it causes fear in the hearts of the people.

“They stay indoors, fearing venturing out into the streets and be shot. What they [politicians and police] need to do is come into the community and sit with the elders, start talking, map out a plan - that’s the best way forward rather than cause fear.”

Mr Pitt said the visit with the police commissioners was about taking "very seriously what all the elders say".

“In my experience, women’s groups in any community have been the most important and influential in community," he said.

“I’m very keen to engage, I certainly spoke with Phyllis Yunkaporta.

“One thing I know about Aurukun is when it's calm, it's a wonderful community.”