Men a ‘massive bloody problem in traditional culture’, says Price

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 23, 2026

Senator Jacinta Price sharply criticized the Western Australian Department of Child Protection and traditional Indigenous organizations for failing vulnerable Indigenous children, highlighting a tragic case where authorities ignored repeated pleas before three grandchildren were killed by their mother. Her remarks have intensified pressure on political leaders to acknowledge systemic neglect, with calls for urgent reforms and accountability amid growing evidence of widespread child abuse and neglect in the Pilbara region.

Senator Jacinta Price has delivered a blunt critique of the handling of Indigenous child welfare in Western Australia, describing men within traditional culture as a “massive bloody problem” and accusing government bodies of failing vulnerable children. Her comments come amid mounting public scrutiny of the state Department of Child Protection (DCP) over a series of high-profile child protection failures in the Pilbara region.

Price highlighted the case of Indigenous grandmother Dorothy Papertalk, whose repeated pleas over several years to protect her three grandchildren—Jamelia, 10, Arnda, 7, and baby Kelvin, four months—were reportedly ignored by authorities before the children were tragically killed by their mother in 2022. The WA government has since announced an inquest into the deaths, intensifying calls for accountability. The senator called for the DCP’s director-general, Mike Rowe, and the department to be held responsible under legislation that effectively makes them the legal guardians of children in their care.

The senator has also criticized traditional Indigenous organisations, including the national body SNAICC, for their reliance on federal funding despite what she describes as systemic failures. Price urged a shift in focus from institutional representatives to listening instead to young people who have directly experienced abuse and neglect.

Price took particular aim at political leaders, singling out Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and WA Premier Roger Cook. She accused Albanese of dismissing the child protection crisis as a regional problem confined to Western Australia and described his public acknowledgments of Indigenous culture as mere “lip service.” Price has called on the prime minister to visit the Pilbara urgently and address the national scale of the issue.

WA Premier Cook was also rebuked for not visiting Port Hedland, the centre of the emerging scandal. Price said female Indigenous elders in the region had expressed their readiness to confront him over the government’s handling of child protection failures, but lamented his absence and urged him to take responsibility and commit to improvements.

The revelations follow extensive reporting that has exposed not only neglect but widespread child sexual abuse in the Pilbara. Among the disturbing accounts was the discovery of a dozen children living without adult supervision in a South Hedland home for days.

Price argued that the nation must move beyond romanticised views of Aboriginal culture, particularly where “dysfunction” exists within communities. She stressed the importance of prioritizing human rights and safety over cultural narratives, emphasizing children’s need for secure homes, access to education, and freedom from neglect and violence.

Meeting with local elder Pat Mason in Port Hedland, Price said the scale of neglect had left her “demoralised.” She warned that entrenched systemic racism was evident in the different treatment of Aboriginal children compared to others in Australia, with leadership across sectors continuing to ignore the crisis.

The unfolding events in Western Australia have intensified calls for urgent reforms in Indigenous child protection, underscoring deep-seated challenges in safeguarding vulnerable children in regional communities.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.