FAR NORTH CRIME Aurukun’s displaced head south
WITH almost 2000 people waiting to access social housing in Cairns, authorities are looking to areas south of the city to accommodate hundreds displaced from Aurukun after riots and unrest.
Many who were forced to flee Aurukun after New Year’s Day violence fuelled by the alleged murder of a 37-year-old man by two teens are starting to return home, but many still don’t feel safe.
The volatile situation flared again on Friday, with four people charged with rioting.
Police are investigating a large street disturbance that occurred in the Cape York indigenous community on Friday about 6pm before an attempted break-in at the local supermarket.
Some community members received minor injuries in the riot, and were treated at the western Cape township’s health clinic.
A Queensland Police spokesman said a few houses sustained damage during the incident, as did three police vehicles.
“Officers received only minor injuries,” he said. “Extra police patrols are continuing and there have been no additional significant incidents reported since Friday night.”
Community Response Coordinator Senior Sergeant Duane Amos said homes were gradually getting repaired and replaced after the unrest earlier in the year.
He said there was also capacity for people to move into long-term homes in cities such as Townsville, Mackay and Mount Isa.
The clan-based violence caused a widespread exodus from the town of those associated and related to the teens accused of the murder.
Most of those who left Aurukun made their way to a camp run by veterans of the Kapani Warrior group and temporarily settled in Cairns and other Cape communities.
Sen-Sgt Amos said the group, who were left essentially homeless, were responding well to efforts to either get them home or resettle them in other parts of the state.
“We had the first couple of families who have already gone back to Aurukun,” he said. “Families with damaged properties were the highest priority and we’ve been working with the housing department to see their homes were rebuilt.
“That department has undertaken repairs to other damaged properties, and now they are repaired and ready for people to move in to.
“We encourage people in crisis accommodation to touch base with our housing counterparts and see what’s available.
“We have secured those properties in their absence.”
Authorities have been working with the families to assess where regional centres south of Cairns, which have revealed a far higher capacity for resettlement, could appeal to them.
“We’ve seen what’s available and Townsville, Mackay, Mount Isa, anywhere south of us, have a lot more houses available,” Sen-Sgt Amos said.
“We try to get as much info as we possibly can from everyone. Like anyone who moves house, you can only go where can you afford and you have to see if it meets your family needs, meet any dynamics with the age of kids. No one is being forced to move.
“We are looking at individual needs and having those discussions with them. There are also different health needs, and there are those who only need a short-term respite to build up resilience, and then there are those coping better away from the town.”
Sen-Sgt Amos also assured Cairns residents there was no additional criminal activity noted among the displaced group.
“There are always those in every group creating issues and we can’t tarnish people and say every person from Aurukun is creating issues,” he said.
“And, there’s a big difference between breaking in to a house and getting drunk underneath a tree.
“When you come from a dry community to somewhere with 1500 liquor licences, they’re going to avail themselves to what’s on offer.
“Some of these people we’re seeing have an underlying health problem – it’s an addiction, and wherever they go, they’ll have that addiction.”