Like most Aboriginal people, I hold a pre-existing relationship to my culture, a connection determined by blood. Thanks to my old people who fought for the rights and services of my community and as the eldest granddaughter of activists, it is an instinctive urge to say something, even when I am the lone voice in a room full of people. I am persistent on social media, to be heard and represent causes that affect many of our people.

As a local Arrernte woman and a mother of three sons, I am speaking out my concerns with the new Northern Territory Government and their plans to introduce more power to the police, bring into effect again the use of spit hoods, to initiate more "diversion" methods for kids in the justice system and begin locking up children at ten years of age.

As we are anticipating the coming days, waiting to hear of the set-up of the new NT Government portfolio, I am apprehensive to hear our fate. I am worried about the proposed policies of the newly elected Country Liberal Party to the NT government. I know my feelings are not solitary and that there is heavy concern about the next term and what the future looks like for many Aboriginal people. My biggest concern is on the strains of poorly informed public opinion on the new government leaders and their willingness to gratify their supporters who voted them to office, and the community at wider extent, exposed directly and indirectly to the current matters strewn across national media channels daily. 

Most would have seen regular news or have been exposed through endless social media hysteria, on the crime, break-ins, theft, and assaults in my hometown of Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Those are just some of many more issues of focus that have seen a mass of criticism shown to both the outgoing Territory government, the ALP, and the Alice Springs Town Council, with some striking actions brought into place, including weeks long curfews for youth in Alice.

There is no disagreement to the rise of trouble in my town, we as a wider population, politicians and townspeople, Traditional Owner groups and communities alike, must own that, and we must take meaningful action towards improvement. But this must not be a return to the root cause of the anti-social activity that appears prevalent. 

For amongst the hate and the fear-mongering breeding within the township, escalated by observers outside of our community, there is a side to all this that is seldom shown or spoken about. Amongst the nominated and self-appointed ‘leaders’ that grace the screens each night to talk on issues that are in fact, direct consequences of past government rule, we know deep down those things will not change if we continue to recycle harsh policies, promoting unfairness toward Aboriginal people. This is not nation building. This is not equity. This is division. Division that destroys belonging and goes against our natural learnings as Aboriginal people.

For me, reflecting on the last twelve months of commentary concerning Alice Springs and with a large focus on the crime surge and the town’s unease, I think about the untold stories, or the not-media-worthy stories. The out of sight, out-of-mind stories from those living in and amongst the frays. The stories of my community.

I am a strong representative for my community. When they ask, I will speak out when I see injustice, and this is so much more than that for me. This is personal, and why? Next year my sons are turning ten years old. What do the next four years hold for them? For me and their father as parents? More helicopter parenting? More anxiety? More fear? More pain? More anger! Anger at the system that is set up against the future success of my children against all else, even when I am setting them a path for accomplishment. I will speak my mind about these issues, as long as my kids are direct victims of incoming policies.

I feel the need to speak now, in a way that is strong and unapologetic. I have three sons, all three are striking and each holds their own individual qualities that set them apart. My sons are neurodiverse in their own way. While one is darker in complexion, one follows the throwback of white grandparents on both sides. With all of that, communication becomes a challenge, with people that do not know or regularly engage with them. I could go on. 

I am fiery in my stance because I cannot imagine any one of my sons navigating being questioned by police and consequently failing to 'comply' with their questioning. With the result being that they are locked up by interrogators or worse, they are harmed.

Tonight, as my sons are home in bed, with a roof over their head. I will not sleep a wink, because I know that the comforts and safety net I provide for them, does not make them any less targets than the next child. In fact, we should all be scared, our children are no longer kids, no longer carry innocence, but are considered perpetrators in the eyes of the community and those that are contracted to keep our community safe. Until the moment they are safe to walk down the street, in any circumstance, I will not find peace.