A caseworker in Western Australia’s remote Kimberley region has accused the Department of Child Protection (DCP) of repeatedly dismissing reports of child sexual abuse involving Indigenous children, despite multiple notifications of serious allegations. The worker, who has more than a decade of experience in various WA district offices and requested anonymity, said she was “appalled” at the department's reluctance to respond promptly to reports, including a case involving an 11-year-old girl allegedly raped by a 35-year-old Indigenous man.

Over the course of a year, the caseworker said she reported four separate child rapes and made 23 notifications concerning allegations against one child, but claimed the department consistently failed to escalate these to urgent child safety investigations. She described how officials dismissed concerns on the basis that victims were either too frightened to identify perpetrators or could not provide sufficient evidence, effectively halting investigations. According to the worker, supervisors often recommended safety plans focusing on supervising alleged offenders within communities rather than removing them, a strategy she characterized as ineffective and insufficient.

These allegations echo concerns raised by Dorothy Papertalk, a Yamatji-Wajarri elder from South Hedland in the Pilbara region, following the 2022 deaths of her three grandchildren at the hands of their mother. Papertalk has called for a comprehensive inquiry into DCP practices after her repeated warnings about her grandchildren’s safety were not acted upon.

Local police have corroborated claims of inadequate child protection responses, reporting numerous warnings to child protection authorities regarding children living unsupervised in a state-owned home on Frisby Court in South Hedland. Residents and officers say children as young as five and seven have been left alone for extended periods amid exposure to drug dealers, violence, neglect, and predators. Neighbors have expressed frustration at the DCP’s apparent reluctance to intervene, despite having legal authority to remove children at risk.

Community elders have acknowledged the prevalence of child sexual abuse in some Indigenous communities, emphasizing that such acts are crimes rather than cultural practices. Kariyarra elder Pat Mason described the abuse of young girls by men as "rife" and called on authorities to prioritize removing perpetrators rather than focusing solely on relocating children.

Political figures from across the spectrum have responded to the emerging crisis. Opposition child protection spokesman Nick Goiran described the situation as “deeply disturbing” and demanded urgent government action. National Party leader Julie Freeman emphasized the need to address child safety without being constrained by racial sensitivities, while WA Child Protection Minister Jessica Stojkovski indicated that a review is underway to assess whether lessons from previous tragedies have led to meaningful reforms.

Former senior WA District Court judge Philip McCann advocated for a royal commission to thoroughly investigate the state’s child protection system, warning that piecemeal responses are inadequate to address the entrenched failures highlighted by recent cases.

The allegations have prompted calls for a full and independent review to ensure that at-risk children in Western Australia’s Indigenous communities receive effective protection and that systemic issues within child protection services are addressed without delay.