NT police commissioner says 'Black Monopoly' email circulated among officers is 'very concerning'

A screenshot of the ‘Black Monopoly’ board reportedly circulated among NT police. (Supplied)

The Northern Territory police commissioner said he was expecting more racist material to surface from within NT police after reports an image of a “Black Monopoly” board was emailed around the force in 2008.

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the name of an Indigenous person who has died, used with the permission of their family.

This story also contains racist and offensive language and images.

The Australian newspaper first reported the image, depicting a mock Monopoly board with every property square marked “go to jail”.

The image was reportedly sent in a email dated December 2008, and was addressed to members of the NT Police Territory Response Group (TRG) with the subject line “Indigenous Monopoly”.

Text within the email reads “this is gold”.

The reporting comes amid an ongoing joint investigation by the NT’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) and NT police into racism within the force.

The investigation was announced after claims from former constable Zachary Rolfe of a racist culture entrenched within the force.

Mr Rolfe made those claims while giving evidence at the coronial inquest into the death of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker, who was fatally shot by then-Constable Zachary Rolfe in 2019.

Mr Rolfe was found not guilty of his murder in the NT Supreme Court.

During the inquest, Mr Rolfe made explosive allegations of widespread racism, saying “racist language is used everywhere”, even among high-ranking police officers.

Mr Rolfe told the coroner the Territory Response Group (TRG) handed out an annual award, known colloquially by other police as a “Coon of the Year” award.

In sworn affidavits to the coroner’s court, members of the TRG denied any suggestion the award in question was referred to as a “Coon of the Year” award.

They said a series of “light-hearted” annual awards were handed out, including the “Noogooda Award” which Mr Rolfe had referenced.

Last month, ICAC Commissioner Michael Riches said evidence he had collected from NT police members suggested the awards handed out by the TRG were “racist”.

Monopoly email reports ‘shocking’ and ‘concerning’

NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said reports of the “Black Monopoly” email were “very concerning”.

The commissioner said he referred the report to the ICAC Commissioner on Wednesday to form part of the ongoing investigation.

Asked whether there were other racist emails being sent around NT police, Commissioner Murphy said he expects “we’ll see more”.

“We’ve called for people to come forward with any information they may have,” he said.

“I imagine that more information, or emails, or some material will come out in due course.”

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said the report of the 2008 email was “shocking”.

“We don’t want to hear those stories coming out of our police force,” she said.

“I would absolutely would hope that things have changed considerably in the ensuing 16 years.”

A ‘punch in the guts’ for Indigenous people

Mililma May, chief executive of First Nations advocacy group Uprising of the People, said the report was “another punch in the guts”.

“I’m disappointed but not surprised at the blatant racism, and the time and effort and creativity that went into creating such a racist artefact,” she said.

“It merely represents the realities of how Indigenous people feel towards police, and their very justified reality of feeling unsafe with police.”

Ms May said she felt for Aboriginal police officers and their allies within the force.

“What a challenge it must be to work in a workplace like that,” she said.

Jared Sharp, a principal legal officer of Aboriginal legal service NAAJA, said the NT police’s investigation into racism within the force “needs to be at arm’s length”.

“There is always a conflict of interest if you’re investigating yourself,” he said.

Mr Sharp said NAAJA regularly represents Aboriginal clients who have brought allegations of excessive force, racist language or behaviour by NT police officers, but were let down by a system where police are allowed to investigate their own.

“It needs to be independent of the police if the community — and in particular, the Aboriginal community — can have a sense of trust and confidence that all matters will be properly investigated,” he said.

“People are getting housed in obscene conditions in a supposedly civilised society right now in the Northern Territory and this depiction makes light of that reality,” he said.