Western Australian Premier Roger Cook has stood by the director-general of the state’s Department of Communities amid ongoing scrutiny over the handling of child protection cases in Port Hedland, where concerns over systemic failures have intensified. The Premier dismissed calls for an inquest into the 2022 murders of Indigenous children known as the Hawke children and declined to commit to visiting the area, which has been described as a focal point of the state’s Indigenous child safety crisis.
The Premier and Attorney-General Tony Buti appeared together recently but focused their comments on unrelated matters concerning universities, bypassing direct engagement with questions about the child protection system. The situation in Port Hedland has drawn sharp criticism, including from Aboriginal elders, who allege that the Department of Communities has allowed children to remain in unsafe environments, with reports of neglect in homes lacking adult supervision and failures to adequately respond to serious incidents of child abuse.
Despite these allegations, Cook rejected suggestions that Mike Rowe, the director-general responsible for the department, should be removed. When questioned about the leadership’s accountability following what has been described as a series of “catastrophic failures” to protect Indigenous children in the region, Cook replied firmly, “Absolutely not.” He acknowledged the difficult conditions in which the department operates but maintained confidence in its efforts.
On the prospect of a formal inquest into the deaths, the Premier stated simply, “I am not a coroner,” refusing to confirm whether an inquiry would proceed. Similarly, when asked about the department’s overall performance and whether it was falling short of its duties, Cook said, “I don’t think it is.”
The department is also facing scrutiny over a significant backlog of approximately 1,200 child protection cases. Cook noted that additional resources have been allocated in an attempt to address this issue, emphasizing efforts to reduce delays in case management.
Meanwhile, community leaders have expressed frustration with the government’s response. One prominent elder from Port Hedland reportedly remarked that when the Premier eventually visits the mining town in northern Western Australia, he would face intense criticism from residents affected by the child protection failures.
The controversy highlights continuing tensions over Indigenous child welfare in Western Australia and the challenges faced by authorities tasked with safeguarding vulnerable children in remote communities.