Treating Indigenous criminals differently from other criminals is a recipe for resentment. The rejection of The Voice by the Australian people has emboldened those who push back against the guilt narrative. People are speaking out against practices such as the “Acknowledgement of Country” and the proposal of “truth-telling and treaty.” Queensland Police Union President Ian Leavers has been a strong voice in rejecting these ideas, representing the nearly 70 percent of state citizens who voted against The Voice. However, there are still individuals who have not learned from the repudiation of their views and continue to promote divisive ideas.
The argument that every misfortune faced by Indigenous people is a result of colonization is not supported by facts. Ian Leavers, as a working police officer, used evidence and his on-the-ground experience to challenge this narrative. Instead of engaging in genuine debate, those who disagreed called for his resignation and attacked his character without addressing the evidence he presented. This avoidance of the facts is a reflection of the state of journalism and public debate.
There is inconsistency in the way statistics are used to support certain arguments. The overrepresentation of Indigenous people in jails is attributed to colonization and historical disadvantage, but the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in Parliament is not. Using statistics selectively is not productive for genuine discussion. The rejection of the woke orthodoxy through the “No” vote has given people permission to challenge this inconsistency.
When statistics point to high levels of violence and sexual abuse in Indigenous communities, perpetrated by Indigenous individuals against their own people, deniers resort to name-calling and obfuscation. Indigenous women are 35 times more likely to be hospitalized due to family violence-related assaults, and Indigenous women are 10 times more likely to die from assault compared to non-Indigenous women. It is the police who respond to these incidents, not government ministers or academics who criticize without offering solutions.
Treating Indigenous criminals differently from others creates resentment and allows for false assertions of Aboriginality. This puts the police in a difficult situation and undermines community safety and law and order. The rejection of the truth-telling policy by the Queensland Labor government is a positive step in listening to the voices of first responders like Ian Leavers. It is important to take into account their perspective for the sake of the safety of all individuals, including Indigenous people themselves.