Richard Rolfe, the father of former Northern Territory police constable Zachary Rolfe, who fatally shot Warlpiri man Kumanjayi Walker, has urged a federal government inquiry to intensify efforts to root out racism within the NT police force. In a submission to the inquiry into racism, hate, and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Rolfe stated that he wished to share his knowledge about what he described as widespread racist behaviour within the NT police.
Rolfe suggested that this conduct has not only exacerbated trauma for First Nations communities but has also been tacitly sanctioned by the current Country Liberal Party (CLP) government in the Northern Territory. The submission references evidence presented during the inquest into Walker's death, which revealed that the NT's tactical response group held annual events featuring racist awards. However, it does not address racist text messages shared by Zachary Rolfe with colleagues or the coroner's findings.
Coroner Elisabeth Armitage, in her findings delivered in July 2025, stated that while she could not definitively conclude that Rolfe's racist attitudes directly influenced his actions on 9 November 2019, she could not rule out that possibility. She described the racist awards as among the most grotesque examples of racism uncovered during the inquest and emphasised that Rolfe should not be considered a lone bad apple within the force.
Richard Rolfe's submission includes copies of additional racist awards not previously entered into evidence. He also highlighted other incidents, such as a sergeant sharing a photo of a topless Aboriginal woman in a WhatsApp group and allegations that a senior officer was ejected from a Chinese restaurant after using racial slurs. Rolfe criticised Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, who also serves as police minister, for lacking the will to initiate genuine external investigations into the NT police.
The joint standing committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs held its first public hearing in Sydney on Friday, with further hearings planned elsewhere. The inquiry continues to examine systemic racism within the force.
