Terror act struck ‘real fear’ in community: McCarthy

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, has called out the alleged ‘terror’ act in Perth on January 26 as one that has struck real fear in First Nations communities.

But she has refrained from calling it terrorism, telling the ABC “there is a legal process underway and it is important that that legal process does take place.”

Senator McCarthy, speaking on the ABC’s midday show, said it was an act of real fear for all of those families who were there at the Invasion Day rally in Perth.

WA Police footage of the incident in Perth.

“We expect across the country that as a democracy, protests are able to occur in a peaceful manner,” she said.

“And there is no reason why a group of people in Perth, First Nations people, cannot protest without feeling that their lives are in danger. This was a really serious incident, and we’re treating it as such.”

Senator McCarthy said she had received many calls and messages, “largely angry”, about what could have happened.

“Potential terrorist act”

“So, of course we have to certainly see that the WA Police, AFP and ASIO are treating this as they should, rightly so, in investigating it,” she said.

“And I’m pleased to see that the WA Police have put out a press release that this is being investigated as a potential terrorist act.

“The Prime Minister, when he heard immediately at a press conference on Tuesday that charges had been laid, his first words were that the charges were serious and that the book should be thrown at this in terms of making sure the safety of families in WA is very much at the forefront.

The alleged perpetrator is shown in the back of a WA Police vehicle.

“There is a legal process underway and I want to see it carried through with the utmost integrity. And as I said, I am very pleased to see that the police, ASIO and the AFP are looking at this and investigating it with being a potential terrorist act.”

Senator McCarthy said the government would have to see what the outcome of the investigation was.

Part of police briefing

“I have heard from Elders who met with the West Australian Police Commissioner. They have been briefed on what took place on the day at the rally. They were certainly very pleased to be a part of that briefing,” she said.

“The WA Police are working closely with them to keep them informed. There are a lot of facts in this situation that perhaps can’t be revealed at this point in time but I will certainly be pursuing it in Parliament next week.

When asked why facts couldn’t be revealed now, she said no one wanted to jeopardise the legal process.