The head of an Australian inquiry into the abuse of children in detention has resigned four days after he was appointed to the position.
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Sky News has reported that Mr Martin is unhappy with the reporting of his daughter Joanna’s employment from late 2009 to early 2011, a position that did not cover corrections or juvenile detention but falls into the period of time that will be examined by the royal commission.
Since the prison CCTV footage was broadcast last week protests have been held across Australia against its treatment of Aborigines and their high imprisonment rate.
Brandis described Gooda as “one of Australia’s most highly regarded Indigenous leaders”. “My resignation does not imply any criticism of the Government, Prime Minister or the Attorney-General”.
The Attorney-General said he was not concerned over any conflict of interest.
Asked what Gooda will bring to the government inquiry – termed a royal commission, which is established under legislation that confers specific powers of investigation – Huggins said: “In every aspect of aboriginal lives, Mick has been a strong advocate for us”.
Following Martin’s resignation from the post, Australia’s Attorney-General George Brandis appointed current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda and former Queensland Supreme Court and Appeals Court judge Margaret White as joint commissioners, after consultation with Indigenous leaders.
White, who has extensive experience in both the civil and criminal jurisdictions, said it was a privilege to have Gooda as co-commissioner. “This royal commission is far too important to undertake that risk”.
The pressure applied by Labor over the weekend helped trigger the process of reconfiguration allowed by Martin’s decision to step aside from the royal commission, and Brandis sent a signal on Monday that enough should be enough.
Vision obtained by investigative journalism program Four Corners showed the youths, mostly of Indigenous background, were physically abused, tear-gassed, stripped and humiliated by guards.
Senator Brandis this morning defended the appointment of Mr Martin, but said he and Mr Turnbull had already been exploring the potential for an Indigenous representative.
“In the clear light of day I probably wouldn’t think that. It is now for the commissioners to set about that important work and I thank them for their willingness to take on this very significant and challenging task”.
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“I’ve been fairly vocal about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people needing to have confidence in the process, to have confidence in the outcomes”, Gooda said.
