THE new Lake Macquarie police chief has spoken frankly of the “terrible past” between Aborigines and the NSW Police Force, but said times had changed so much that he hoped the district could now become a leader in the recruitment of Aboriginal officers.
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Superintendent Danny Sullivan made a passionate Harmony Day address at Toronto Police Station this morning at a function to honour the local Aboriginal community and culture.
The guests included Westlakes Aboriginal elders such as Auntie Zelma Moran, artist Saretta Fielding, and local school children.
Superintendent Sullivan said it was vital to acknowledge the mistakes of the past before building bridges to the future.
“Looking back, it’s so important for me as the leader of the police in this community to acknowledge it has been a troubled past between Aboriginal people and the NSW Police Force,” he said.
“[Police] were instruments of many government decisions, policy and law that inflicted great harm on Aboriginal people. So it’s important that I acknowledge that past, and acknowledge the NSW Police’s role in that terrible past.”
Superintendent Sullivan revealed he previously ran the NSW Police Force’s Aboriginal Coordination Unit.
“In that role I was very proud to be part of the establishment of our Aboriginal Strategic Direction,” he said.
It is the overarching document which guides the NSW Police Force in its management of Aboriginal issues across the state.
He spoke with reverence about Australia’s Aboriginal culture, and that of the local Awabakal people.
“We’re acknowledging the oldest continuous culture on planet Earth,” he said. “It’s so important that as part of Harmony Day that we acknowledge our Aboriginal history and that continuous culture because it’s enabling us to build a base, to move forward.”
A plaque featuring artwork by Ms Fielding was unveiled.
Superintendent Sullivan said the plaque would be installed at the front entrance to the police station.
“It is a tangible symbol to everybody that we are on Awabakal land, that we, the Lake Macquarie Police District, honour the elders of the Awabakal people and all Aboriginal people in our operational footprint.”
He said he wanted all Aboriginal people to know local police stations as safe and welcoming places.
Further to that ideal, Superintendent Sullivan said his vision was for Lake Macquarie to become a hub for the IPROWD program – a specialist program to assist Aboriginal people gain entry to the NSW Police Academy at Goulburn.
Auntie Zelma Moran said the police chief’s words were a “beautiful” sentiment that would resonate with local Aboriginal people.
“It’s teaching us how to speak to each other. To speak softly, kindly and with respect to one another,” she said.
“Police are our saviours in the community.”
