Former West Australian Premier Colin Barnett has called for broader consideration of non-Indigenous adoptions as part of efforts to address the ongoing crisis in Aboriginal child welfare in Western Australia. Barnett made the remarks amid growing scrutiny of the state’s child protection system following reports of neglected Indigenous children in South Hedland.

The controversy surfaced after allegations emerged that Aboriginal children had been left unsupervised in unsanitary conditions in a public housing property in the South Hedland suburb of Frisby Court, despite warnings from case workers and family members. Barnett, who led Western Australia for nine years while overseeing a significant rise in Aboriginal child removals, urged the state Labor government to reconsider policies that limit adoption options to Aboriginal families only.

“Hard as it will be, and there will be outcry, the good intentions behind some of these policies can put Aboriginal children in danger,” Barnett said. He emphasized that every child deserves a stable and secure upbringing and argued that children should not be prevented from being adopted by non-Aboriginal families if their biological parents or communities are unable to provide adequate care. Barnett described fostering and adoption as “the lesser of two evils” compared to leaving children in harmful environments.

The debate coincides with mounting pressure on the WA government and the broader Australian child protection system to respond more effectively to Indigenous child welfare concerns. Indigenous elder Doris Eaton, however, cautioned that the current situation should not be equated with the historical trauma of the Stolen Generations.

Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malardnirri McCarthy, addressing questions in parliament on Thursday, sought to contextualize the incident as part of wider child protection challenges affecting families across Australia, not solely Indigenous communities. She noted that such cases in Western Australia were “very small” in number but acknowledged any instance of child abuse is unacceptable. McCarthy also directed criticism toward the opposition, questioning whether WA senators had actively engaged with local families in Port Hedland or sought explanations from the state government.

McCarthy was scheduled to receive a briefing from Western Australia’s Child Protection Minister Jess Stojkovski, who denied there was evidence to support claims that 15 children had been left living in squalid conditions without supervision. Stojkovski stated she had consulted agencies and sector workers, who reportedly were unaware of children being unsupervised for extended periods in the property.

The unfolding situation highlights ongoing tensions between protecting the rights and welfare of Indigenous children and the complexities of child removal and adoption policies in Western Australia. As the state government prepares its response, voices like Barnett’s suggest the need for a pragmatic reassessment of existing frameworks to better safeguard vulnerable children.