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For those interested in the manner in which institutionalised racism functions in the Australian context, one need look no further than the case of the death of an Aboriginal man on Palm Island, the historically notorious QLD Government 'punishment camp' under the old QLD 'apartheid system'. The death of Mulrunji Doomadgee at the hands of a QLD Police officer led to a riot and a subsequent 'comedy of errors' as the Beattie Labor Government struggled to contain the political damage at the same time as maintaining an apologetic approach to the powerful QLD Police union. The unmentioned 'elephant in the room' was the long entrenched culture of racism that permeates QLD society and politics. It is in that context you might read this index of the history of the recent events on Palm Island, as seen through the prism of the sometimes questionable newspaper coverage by Australian media. This chronological index nevertheless provides an interesting history of how this issue became a major crisis largely through the political ineptitude displayed by the Beattie Government over a protracted period between 2004 and 2006. The saga continues to unfold and future episodes will be incorporated into this index. (Index created 30/12/2006) | ||
| * Islanders riot over death in custody - The Age - 27th November 2004 | ||
| * Nine arrests for island riot - The Age - 28th November 2004 | ||
| * Outrage over black prison deaths - The Age - 30th November 2004 | ||
| * Payback warning over Palm Island - The Age - 1st December 2004 | ||
| * Black leaders warn police to stay away from funeral - The Age - 2nd December 2004 | ||
| * Aborigines' dark island home - The BBC - 4th December 2004 | ||
| * Recriminations fly as accused face funeral ban - The Sydney Morning Herald - 7th December 2004 | ||
| * Burn, you dogs: alleged taunt as station torched - The Courier Mail - 7th December 2004 | ||
| * Editorial: Stark numbers on black deaths - The Australian - 16th December 2004 | ||
| * Mother and daughter face court over Palm Island riot - The Courier Mail - 16th December 2004 | ||
| * Activist remains defiant - The Courier Mail - 18th December 2004 | ||
| * Clark may pay for Yanner - The Courier Mail - 18th December 2004 | ||
| * Clark backflips over purchase of Yanner's air ticket - The Courier Mail - 21st December 2004 | ||
| * Doomadgee had reading of 0.29 - The Australian - 7th February 2005 | ||
| * Call for a black quota on juries - The Australian - 17th July 2006 | ||
| * A-G steps in over 'racist' jury fear - The Australian - 18th July 2006 | ||
| * A-G backs trial shift for riot accused - The Australian - 19th July 2006 | ||
| * Island of lost souls - The London Observer - 26th July 2006 | ||
| * Officer's punches killed islander - The - 28th September 2006 | ||
| * Andrew Boe: Shame of palming off report - The Australian - 6th October 2006 | ||
| * Doomadgee officers escape bans - The Australian - 9th October 2006 | ||
| * Officer in Palm Island death case suspended - The Courier Mail - 7th October 2006 | ||
| * Noel Pearson: Lessons from Palm Island - The Australian - 7th October 2006 | ||
| * Law changes follow Palm Island death - The Courier mail - 2nd November 2006 | ||
| * New generation brings self-esteem to Palm Island - The Australian - 21st November 2006 | ||
| * Cop let off after assault on Aborigine - The Australian - 6th December 2006 | ||
| * Fury over Mulrunji decision - The Age - 14th December 2006 | ||
| * 'Case should have gone to jury' - The Courier Mail - 14th December 2006 | ||
| * Palm Island calm despite Mulrunji decision - The Age - 14th December 2006 | ||
| * Anger brews on riot island - The Courier Mail - 14th December 2006 | ||
| * Palm seething after acquittal - The Courier Mail - 14th December 2006 | ||
| * No charges over Aboriginal jail death - The Age - 15th December 2006 | ||
| * 'End custody death confusion' - The Sydney Morning Herald - 15th December 2006 | ||
| * Bloody disgrace: saga is state's worst injustice - The Australian - 15th December 2006 | ||
| * No charges for cell death officer - The Australian - 15th December 2006 | ||
| * Pearson slams court - The Age - 16th December 2006 | ||
| * I want justice for my brother and my people - The Sydney Morning Herald - 16th December 2006 | ||
| * Beattie to visit Palm Island - The Age - 18th December 2006 | ||
| * Beattie criticised by federal colleagues over Palm Island - The Age - 20th December 2006 | ||
| * Beattie snubbed by dead man's family - The Age - 21st December 2006 | ||
| * Beattie tries to soothe Aboriginal anger - The Sydney Morning Herald - 21st December 2006 | ||
| * Death in custody fury - The Age - 22nd December 2006 | ||
| * Prosecutor rejects Palm push - The Age - 22nd December 2006 | ||
| * DPP stands firm on custody death - The Sydney Morning Herald - 22nd December 2006 | ||
| * Review into Palm Island death case - The Age - 22nd December 2006 | ||
| * Beattie backflip on Palm case - The Australian - 23rd December 2006 | ||
| * Coroner 'mistaken' on Doomadgee death finding - The Australian - 23rd December 2006 | ||
| * DPP has talked herself out of a job - The Australian - 23rd December 2006 | ||
| * Islanders want officer sung to death - The Australian - 23rd December 2006 | ||
| * Qld calls for review of Palm Island case - The Age - 23rd December 2006 | ||
| * Noel Pearson: Travesty on Palm Island - The Australian - 23rd December 2006 | ||
| * Judge 'not pressured' to quit Mulrunji review - The Age - 27th December 2006 | ||
| * Policewoman hurt in Palm Island violence - The Australian - 27th December 2006 | ||
| * Mulrunji review up in air - The - 27th December 2006 | ||
| * Jurist told to give up Palm role - The Australian - 27th December 2006 | ||
| * Palm Island review judge quits - The Australian - 27th December 2006 | ||
| * State looks for replacement over Palm Island - The Australian - 27th December 2006 | ||
| * Judge leaves Palm Island review - The - 28th December 2006 | ||
| * Palm Island death judge steps down - The Age - 28th December 2006 | ||
| * Editorial: Mulrunji case a shambles - The Townsville Bulletin - 28th December 2006 | ||
| * Elders set up watch to end cell deaths - The Australian - 28th December 2006 | ||
| * Ex-judge quits Palm death review - The Australian - 28th December 2006 | ||
| * Shine seeks review team - The Townsville Bulletin - 28th December 2006 | ||
| * Family to seek legal review of Palm case - The Australian - 29th December 2006 | ||
| * Legacy of racist past - The Australian - 30th December 2006 | ||
| * Palm case 'like Biko' - The Australian - 30th December 2006 | ||
| * PM 'understands' Palm Island anger - The Australian - 31st December 2006 | ||
| * Court funding 'boost for indigenous justice' - The Australian - 31st December 2006 | ||
| * Palm Island replacement tipped this week - The Australian - 31st December 2006 | ||
| * Six listed for Palm review - The Courier mail - 2nd January 2007 | ||
| * Holidays blamed for delaying Palm review - The Age - 3rd January 2007 | ||
| * Palm Island review chief may come from interstate - The Australian - 3rd January 2007 | ||