Australian Politics

35 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody handed down its 339 recommendations on how to curb the crisis. Yet, all these years on, and it’s only worsening with 630 First Peoples having died in the custody of police or corrections since the final report was released, and the 12 months of 2024-25 were the worst year on record.

Numerous coronial inquiries into First Peoples dying in custody reveal that these fatalities are caused by either neglect or straightout abuse. But despite this long list of deaths involving suspicious circumstances only one police officer has ever been convicted in relation to an Aboriginal custody death, whilst no prison guard has ever been. And only a handful of any officers have ever stood trial.

The Royal Commission is still of grave significance as its 339 recommendations were so comprehensive and to move past them is difficult because most have never been implemented.