The number of Aboriginal children placed in out-of-home care in Western Australia had begun to decline for the first time in more than two decades, reflecting progress toward state and national policy goals. However, this positive trend did not extend to the family of Yamatji-Wajarri woman Dorothy Papertalk, whose grandchildren were killed in a tragic incident after their mother failed to receive sufficient intervention from child protection services.
In July 2022, Jamelia, 10, Arnda, 7, and Kelvin, four months old, were murdered by their mother, Margaret Hawke, in the remote mining town of South Hedland. This occurred despite two years of promising reforms within Western Australia’s child protection system, which saw a specialized program aimed at providing intensive support to Aboriginal families at crisis points rolled out initially in Perth and later extended to regions including South Hedland in early 2022.
Experts both Indigenous and non-Indigenous have stated the enhanced support arrived too late to prevent the deaths of the Hawke children. Dorothy Papertalk had repeatedly requested that her grandchildren be removed from their mother’s care and placed with her, but those pleas were not acted upon by authorities. The case has drawn calls for a formal inquest to examine the failures that led to the tragedy.
On Tuesday, Western Australia’s Attorney-General, Tony Buti, said he was unable to order a public inquest unless new evidence not previously reviewed by Coroner Urquhart was presented. “If new evidence exists, it should be submitted to the state coroner or my office,” Buti said.
Opposition figures have urged the state government to pursue a thorough inquiry. Liberal senator and opposition legal affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash emphasized the profound impact of the children’s deaths on their family and community, calling for a detailed independent inquest to identify any shortcomings in the child protection system.
Legal representative George Newhouse, who has extensive experience supporting families through coronial inquiries, expressed concern over what he described as a pattern in Western Australia of failing to investigate systemic government failings within the Coroner’s Court. Newhouse highlighted the importance of inquests that allow families to question witnesses and seek accountability, describing this as a fundamental aspect of justice.
Advocates acknowledge that inquests do not always result in disciplinary action or criminal charges, which can leave families frustrated. Nevertheless, they argue that such inquiries can lead to meaningful reform. Newhouse pointed to improvements in government practice following the 2014 inquest into the death of Miss Dhu, an Aboriginal woman who died in police custody in South Hedland after falling ill with septicaemia and pneumonia. The inquiry led to changes in the handling of unpaid court fines, moving away from automatic imprisonment towards community-based alternatives, reducing the risk of similar tragedies.
As the community continues to seek answers, the Hawke case remains a stark reminder of the challenges and urgent need for vigilance and improvement in child protection services for Indigenous families across Western Australia.