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Mick Gooda and Margaret White to lead royal commission into NT juvenile detention Mick Gooda and Margaret White to lead royal commission into NT juvenile detention
(35 minutes later)
The Turnbull government has appointed two royal commissioners, Margaret White, a former justice of the supreme court of Queensland, and the social justice commissioner, Mick Gooda, to head up its inquiry into juvenile detention and child protection in the Northern Territory. The Turnbull government has appointed two royal commissioners to head its inquiry into juvenile detention and child protection in the Northern Territory – Margaret White, a former justice of the supreme court of Queensland, and the social justice commissioner, Mick Gooda.
The move to recalibrate the inquiry, confirmed by the attorney general, George Brandis, on Monday, followed the resignation of Brian Martin on Monday from the inquiry he was appointed to only last week due to perceptions of conflict of interest, and criticism the royal commission had been launched with inadequate consultation with Indigenous people. The move to recalibrate the inquiry, confirmed by the attorney general, George Brandis, on Monday, followed the resignation of Brian Martin due to perceptions of conflict of interest, and criticism the royal commission had been launched with inadequate consultation with Indigenous people.
Related: NT juvenile detention: Brian Martin stands down as royal commissioner After confirming the appointments, Brandis told reporters in Brisbane White was extremely well qualified to head up the inquiry, and Gooda was an “obvious candidate for this role”.
Martin confirmed his intentions at a media conference in Canberra on Monday. “I’ve spoken to the chief minister of the NT, Adam Giles, who strongly supports the course of action that I have outlined and strongly supports these two appointments,” Brandis said.
Martin, who was appointed only four days ago, confirmed his intentions at a media conference in Canberra on Monday.
Martin told reporters it had become apparent to him, “rightly or wrongly”, in the days following the establishment of the royal commission that he lacked the confidence of key sections of the Indigenous community.Martin told reporters it had become apparent to him, “rightly or wrongly”, in the days following the establishment of the royal commission that he lacked the confidence of key sections of the Indigenous community.
Related: NT juvenile detention: Brian Martin stands down as royal commissioner
“As a consequence, the effectiveness of the commission is likely to be compromised from the outset,” Martin said.“As a consequence, the effectiveness of the commission is likely to be compromised from the outset,” Martin said.
“I am not prepared to proceed in the face of that risk. This royal commission is far too important to undertake that risk and, in the public interest, personal considerations must take second place.”“I am not prepared to proceed in the face of that risk. This royal commission is far too important to undertake that risk and, in the public interest, personal considerations must take second place.”
The Turnbull government has used the opportunity of Martin’s resignation to address the intense criticisms of a lack of consultation with Indigenous Australians and concerns that the inquiry would be best headed by someone from outside the territory – two lines of argument that were threatening to undermine the integrity of the process from the outset. The Turnbull government has used the opportunity of Martin’s resignation to address the intense criticisms of a lack of consultation with Indigenous Australians and concerns that the inquiry would be best headed by someone from outside the Territory – two lines of argument that were threatening to undermine the integrity of the process.
Over the weekend, the Labor senator Pat Dodson said co-commissioners must be appointed to the royal commission examining child protection and detention following widespread concern about inadequate community consultation. Over the weekend, the Labor senator Pat Dodson said co-commissioners must be appointed to the royal commission, which will examine child protection and detention, following widespread concern about inadequate community consultation.
The Northern Territory chief minister, Adam Giles, was reported to have put out a statement on Monday backing the idea of co-commissioners.The Northern Territory chief minister, Adam Giles, was reported to have put out a statement on Monday backing the idea of co-commissioners.
After confirming the new appointments, Brandis told reporters in Brisbane White was extremely well qualified to head up the inquiry, and Gooda was an “obvious candidate for this role.”
“I’ve spoken to the chief minister of the NT, Adam Giles, who strongly supports the course of action that I have outlined and strongly supports these two appointments,” Brandis said.
Last week, after the broadcast of the Four Corners report that triggered the royal commission, Gooda called on the federal government to intervene and sack the NT government.Last week, after the broadcast of the Four Corners report that triggered the royal commission, Gooda called on the federal government to intervene and sack the NT government.
Asked on Monday whether he still felt that way, Gooda said: “We’ll wait and see. I think – I said on the Tuesday, you know, was a day of emotions and people had all sorts of emotional responses.” Asked on Monday whether he still felt that way, Gooda said: “We’ll wait and see. I think – I said on the Tuesday, you know, was a day of emotions and people had all sorts of emotional responses.
“In the clear light of day I probably wouldn’t think that. But at the moment I’ve got a job to do,” he said.“In the clear light of day I probably wouldn’t think that. But at the moment I’ve got a job to do,” he said.
Gooda declined to say whether he thought the inquiry should be extended to other states. There have been reports that similar instances to those exposed in the Don Dale centre in the territory have occurred in Queensland corrections.Gooda declined to say whether he thought the inquiry should be extended to other states. There have been reports that similar instances to those exposed in the Don Dale centre in the territory have occurred in Queensland corrections.
“I haven’t turned my mind to the extension of this royal commission, let alone the establishment of others,” the social justice commissioner said.“I haven’t turned my mind to the extension of this royal commission, let alone the establishment of others,” the social justice commissioner said.
“I think I need to get my feet under the desk, if you like, and see where we end up. But at this point in time I’m satisfied with the terms of reference and I do the job that I’m asked to do.”“I think I need to get my feet under the desk, if you like, and see where we end up. But at this point in time I’m satisfied with the terms of reference and I do the job that I’m asked to do.”
Justice White said she hoped the handover of leadership at the inquiry would not impact the timetable for the royal commission. Related: From the Darling Downs to Don Dale: a litany of monstrous acts against Indigenous children | Paul Daley
“We do hope we will be able to seamlessly proceed with the timetable that had been alluded to at the end of last week so that it’s anticipated that we will give a directions hearing on the 6th of September in Darwin and that we will move to hearings in Darwin in October and probably in other places as well,” White said. White said she hoped the handover of leadership at the inquiry would not affect the timetable for the royal commission.
“We do hope we will be able to seamlessly proceed with the timetable that had been alluded to at the end of last week so that it’s anticipated that we will give a directions hearing on 6 September in Darwin and that we will move to hearings in Darwin in October and probably in other places as well,” White said.
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.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.
“The royal commission is too important to become a political play thing,” Brandis said.“The royal commission is too important to become a political play thing,” Brandis said.
“I welcome the strong bipartisan support for the royal commission which was offered to me by the shadow attorney-general, Mr Dreyfus, when we spoke last week,” he said. “I trust that that bipartisan support will continue.” “I welcome the strong bipartisan support for the royal commission which was offered to me by the shadow attorney general, Mr [Mark] Dreyfus, when we spoke last week,” he said. “I trust that that bipartisan support will continue.”
“The government has acted swiftly and decisively to ensure that the resignation of Mr Martin will not delay the work of the royal commission. 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.”“The government has acted swiftly and decisively to ensure that the resignation of Mr Martin will not delay the work of the royal commission. 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.”
Ahead of the recalibration, Fred Chaney, Indigenous affairs minister under Malcolm Fraser, urged that a choice of replacement be “hastened slowly” and with consultation. Jackie Huggins, the co-chair of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, said she was “delighted” with the new appointments.
“I know these two people personally and I know they will bring to the inquiry the experience, rigour, and integrity that is required to do this,” Huggins told Guardian Australia.
Huggins praised White’s work in Queensland, and noted Gooda had been working in the justice field for decades.
“He has been speaking out strongly about law and justice issues in our country so I know that Mick will bring a wealth of information, a wealth of solutions, I’m sure, around how we actually get this issue addressed and how we tackle this in a way that is meaningful.”
She said Gooda and White were the sort of commissioners who should have been appointed at the start and praised the gender and racial equity now on the inquiry.
Speaking before the appointments, Fred Chaney, Indigenous affairs minister under Malcolm Fraser, urged that a choice of replacement be “hastened slowly” and with consultation.
“I think there are some very fine and principled people in the law,” he said, but added: “This is deep personal stuff with a lot of pain and hurt in it, and I think to have an Aboriginal perspective on the enquiry would be immensely enriching of it and make it more likely to succeed.”“I think there are some very fine and principled people in the law,” he said, but added: “This is deep personal stuff with a lot of pain and hurt in it, and I think to have an Aboriginal perspective on the enquiry would be immensely enriching of it and make it more likely to succeed.”