Set against the backdrop of ongoing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody, this article examines how racism in policing can be revealed through coronial inquest processes. This article provides an in-depth examination of the attempts to do this in two coronial inquests – one being the coronial inquest into the death of Yorta Yorta woman Aunty Tanya Day; the other, the coronial inquest into the death of Warlpiri and Luritja teenager Kumanjayi Walker. This article sets out the significant findings, or lack of findings, of racism made in each inquest, while also highlighting the limitations of the current system. The article also calls for governments to reckon with racism in policing and take action to prevent future Indigenous deaths in custody.
Monique Hurley (Wed,) studied this question.