The following has come from a recent editorial in eurekastreet.com.au . I recommend reading the complete editorial.
The Edmund Rice Institute for Social Justice, Fremantle, has called for a large ex-gratia payment to the family of Mr Ward. The 46-year-old Aboriginal elder and cultural leader died on 27 January 2008 while being transported from Laverton to Kalgoorlie, in the back of a privatised prison van. His first name cannot be revealed for cultural reasons.
The report of Coroner Alistair Hope was published on 12 June this year. It concluded that Ward died of heatstroke, and that the WA Department of Corrective Services, the prison transport company GSL (now G4S) and the two drivers were jointly to blame. The coroner said Ward’s treatment was inhumane, and a breach of international laws to which Australia is a signatory.
In a statement issued after the Coroner’s report, Edmund Rice Institute director David Freeman said the report confirmed fears that this is ‘one of the worst human rights tragedies in Australian living memory’.
The Indigenous News Updates are sourced from news and other articles from around the country that I have posted on Twitter.
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Tagged as:
coroner,
Eureka Street,
Mr Ward,
Ward,
Western Australia
This indigenous News Update contains more links to articles regarding the death of Mr Ward in the back of a prisoner transport vehicle on a 400km trip from Laverton to Kalgoorlie with outside temperatures in the mid forties (Celsius).
The coronial inquest into the death of Mr Ward was completed sometime ago. Here is a summary of news links at the end of this sorry story.
More links can be found here
- Croakey wants to know if media had any responsibility for Mr Ward’s death as did not hi-light poor transfer service http://bit.ly/luOXS
- Federal ALP release statement saying it is a tragic event. Release has a nice happy pic of Jenny Macklin http://bit.ly/2JwcDv
- Eric Ripper describes death in custody of Aboriginal elder Mr Ward as a great failings of the former Labor Government. http://bit.ly/xO4us
- ABC 4corners report on Mr Ward’s death and coronial inquiry http://bit.ly/C45y2
- ABC 4corners extended interviews on death of Aboriginal elder Mr Ward http://bit.ly/46vS2q
- Coroners report on death of Aboriginal elder Mr Ward http://bit.ly/7Q7lY
- 1000 people rally in Perth for justice of Mr Ward http://bit.ly/CqmSU
- Former WA minister accepts some responsibility for death of Aboriginal elder Mr Ward http://bit.ly/2wvqj
- Prisoner transport drivers defied orders in trip which Aboriginal man Mr Ward died http://bit.ly/OY4Lk
- Guard haunted by death of Aboriginal man during prisoner transport http://bit.ly/4tS1Ks
The Indigenous News Updates are sourced from news and other articles from around the country that I have posted on Twitter.
If you like this post and what else you see on the blog please subscribe by RSS feed (the orange button) or by email. Visit my subscription page.
Tagged as:
coroner,
custody,
death,
Indigenous,
inquest,
Mr Ward,
Ward
This indigenous News Update contains more links to articles regarding the death of Mr Ward in the back of a prisoner transport vehicle on a 400km trip from Laverton to Kalgoorlie with outside temperatures in the mid forties (Celsius).
More links can be found here
- Elder’s death: prison van temperature ‘hit 50 degrees’. metal floor in the back peaked at 56.6C during re-enactment. http://bit.ly/ukmrF
- Mr Ward travelled the world representing his people, educating everyone about his unique way of life. http://bit.ly/GsnYu
- “Ward, family does not want his last name published for cultural reasons” they don’t want 1st name used, hence Mr Ward http://bit.ly/W03L7
- Transport guards failed to offer water to prisoner – this in over 50C and 4hr tripDidn’t even check on him http://bit.ly/nFkqj
I read a large amount of information each week on indigenous health and affairs. There is no way I can blog about it all. Many of the links I place on Twitter where I can be found as @BiteTheDust.
I will regularly compile these links and place on the blog under the category of Indigenous News Update.
If you like this post and what else you see on the blog please subscribe by RSS feed (the orange button) or by email. Visit my subscription page.
Tagged as:
death,
Kalgoorlie,
Laverton,
Mr Ward,
prisoner,
transport
