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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed the nation’s solidarity with the grieving family of Kumanjayi Little Baby during his visit to Alice Springs. His journey there was marked by a heartfelt meeting with Kumanjayi’s mother, grandfather, and grandmother, underscoring his commitment to supporting them in their time of sorrow.
“Kumanjayi was cherished and loved dearly,” Mr. Albanese remarked, acknowledging the profound loss the family is enduring. “They are experiencing an unimaginable devastation.”
Emphasizing the collective support of the nation, he assured the family, “It’s crucial to convey to them that the entire country stands with them in their grief. They are not facing this alone.”
“It’s important to be able to say to the family that the nation stands with them in their grief.”
“They are not alone,” he said.
The body of Kumanjayi Little Baby was found on Thursday 30 April, five days after she went missing from the Old Timers town camp, south of Alice Springs.
The five day search for the 5-year-old was the largest search the Northern Territory has seen in more than two decades.
Mr Albanese says his visit was also an opportunity to thank the hundreds of people who came together to search for the Warlpiri girl.
“Whether they were police or emergency service workers, St John’s Ambulance, the local Land Council, people from community organisations, the local council, its an opportunity to say thank you to them,” he said.
47-year-old man Jefferson Lewis has been charged with Kumanjayi Little Baby’s murder and two other offences that cannot be published due to legal reasons.
PM calls on NT Government to ‘work together’ with community
In the wake of Kumanjayi Little Baby’s death, the NT Government announced an overhaul of the NT’s child protection system.
The proposed legislative amendments seek to list child safety as the key consideration in decisions to remove children from their families.
It would change how the NT’s child protection system works, and make it easier for Aboriginal children to be placed permanently with non-Indigenous carers.
More than 330 organisations from across the Northern Territory and Australia have condemned the proposed changes and have criticised the NT Government for not consulting with peak Aboriginal-controlled organisations.
When asked if he was concerned about the proposed changes being rushed through Parliament, Mr Albanese urged the NT Government to “work together” with First Nations people and stakeholders.
“They need to make sure that they work together,” he said.
“I would say to the Northern Territory Government that you’ll get better outcomes if you have an inclusive approach and you have buy-in to these issues.
“That’s why that consultation and engagement is so important.”
The NT Government has allowed for one week of public submissions to provide feedback on the proposed amendments to the legislation, with the closing date set for 22 May.