Senior figures in Western Australia’s Indigenous child welfare system have intensified calls for a comprehensive inquiry into alleged systemic failures within the Department of Child Protection (DCP), as the state government faces mounting pressure amid a widening crisis. The controversy, centered on the Pilbara region, has drawn national attention and intensified scrutiny of state and federal Labor’s handling of Indigenous child safety.
Child Protection Minister Jessica Stojkovski, who returned this week to Port Hedland for a follow-up visit, acknowledged the urgency of the situation but stopped short of committing to a royal commission. “We’re not ruling anything out at the moment,” she said, indicating openness to intensified investigations amid community demands. Stojkovski, set to commence a week’s leave soon, apologized to senior Indigenous elders, who accused her of dismissing their reports of neglect and abuse, asserting that her previous remarks suggesting a lack of evidence had caused them distress.
The call for an inquiry gained further momentum after a senior DCP caseworker, with 15 years’ experience in remote and Perth offices, broke her silence this week. She described the child protection system as “incompetent” and negligent in addressing physical, emotional, and sexual abuse in Indigenous communities. The caseworker claimed that sexual abuse among Aboriginal children had become normalized and criticised departmental policies that pressured staff to reduce the number of children in care by 40% by 2030. She alleged this target led to children being removed from foster homes and returned to unsafe conditions in remote communities, sometimes hundreds of kilometres from their previous placements.
“The government knows it’s happening in plain sight,” she said, describing some living conditions she witnessed as tantamount to “Third World” environments, with maggots infesting homes and children sleeping on floors. The worker also revealed the emotional toll the crisis took, ultimately prompting her resignation.
Community elders, including Kariyarra leader Pat Mason, reiterated demands for a thorough, independent investigation. “We don’t want a whitewash. We want a full and comprehensive inquiry into her department’s incompetence,” Mason said after meeting with the minister.
Compounding the government’s difficulties, another serious incident occurred in Geraldton, where a 14-year-old ward appeared in Magistrates Court without a DCP guardian present following an overnight stay in police custody. Magistrate Melita Metcalf condemned the absence as “appalling” and pledged to file a formal complaint, highlighting deficiencies in the support system for vulnerable children.
Opposition voices have seized on the unfolding crisis to call for Minister Stojkovski’s resignation, while various senior former judiciary members and Indigenous leaders continue to advocate for a royal commission or similarly robust inquiry. Stojkovski, however, stated on local radio that no one had directly requested such a commission in her discussions to date.
The deepening criticism underscores long-standing concerns about child protection policies affecting Indigenous youths in Western Australia. The caseworker’s testimony has spotlighted the conflict between departmental targets and the realities faced by vulnerable children and staff in remote communities. As calls for accountability and reform grow louder, the state government confronts increased scrutiny over its capacity to safeguard Indigenous children and the efficacy of its welfare system.