Why isn’t Anyone Doing Anything on Violent Videos? 

Indigenous organisations, including the key Commonwealth agency NIAA (National Indigenous Australians Agency), and the Minister for Indigenous Australians, are funding and delivering family violence responses while at the same time enabling family violence by not even being aware of it.

Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence, Senator Kerrynne Liddle, today questioned why organisations who deliver programs in communities did not know, or did not act, on violent videos circulating in communities currently reeling from social unrest.

“Violence is an issue for the whole community but it is disproportionately impacting everyone in some communities,” she said.

“The fighting was in public places. The material was disturbing, heart wrenching and awful to watch and should have immediately prompted leaders within organisations, within communities and individuals who became aware of them to report it.

“For those that followed them instead of reporting them, it’s time for serious self-reflection and whole of community action.”

Senator Liddle’s comments follow her intervention to remove violent content of youths fighting on streets, buses, school yards and sporting grounds in such communities as Ceduna, Port Augusta and Alice Springs published on multiple social media accounts with hundreds of followers.

Within hours of alerting the eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant earlier this week, the videos had been removed by Meta.

More fight social media accounts have since been discovered by the Senator.

“Unfortunately, too, some of this social media material is in areas where the Cashless Debit Card was removed and where additional investment was made to respond to the consequences,” Senator Liddle said.

“Violence keeps going up . . . wherever you point your stick. What can you do right now to ask those organisations you fund to take a greater role?” Senator Liddle asked in the Estimates hearing.

“Don’t wait for a National Action Plan. Don’t need to wait for a special plan. Don’t wait for a commissioner. Act right now, please,” Senator Liddle said.

Senator Liddle said this is another glaring example of the Albanese Government being distracted from the real, day to day practical issues impacting communities.