This week the Coroners Court of New South Wales released its findings from the inquest into the death of Todd Mckenzie. Mr McKenzie was shot three times by police and died in his Taree home after experiencing a schizophrenic episode. The findings of the coronial report were sent directly to Police Minister Yasmin Catley and Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson in an unprecedented move.
Greens MP and spokesperson for justice, Sue Higginson said, “I just can’t believe that the Minns Government has not yet responded to the issue of wrongful death by police. Nothing has changed since Todd McKenzie was shot, Clare Nowland was brutally tasered to the ground, Krista Kach was killed by a beanbag round at close range and more wrong and brutal deaths in the hands of police of people in our community who needed help.”
“The circumstances surrounding the death of Todd McKenzie are far from isolated. This tragic loss of life constitutes just one incident in a string of the most serious failures police have carried out against vulnerable members of the community in recent years.”
“The findings in this report are chilling and beg the question – what kind of Government sits on its hands while these kinds of atrocities continue to play out in our communities?”
“Premier Chris Minns needs to step up.The Deputy State Coroner has taken the very unusual step of sending her findings to the Ministers for Police and Mental Health, and constitutes a warning shot to the Government: something must be done. Police are failing, they need help and we need immediate and drastic action.
“The Greens have been calling for change in our policing responses to vulnerable people and police integrity and accountability for too long. We need top-down systems change to ensure that more innocent lives are not lost to senseless brutal policing, and we need the Government to do its job and take these findings seriously.”
“We stand with the families of the victims of these wrongful police deaths and call on the Government to support an Inquiry into this issue. There can be no more political gambits while the lives of vulnerable people are on the line. We need real change and we need it now,” Ms Higginson said.
