Today was the second day of the NSW Upper House Parliamentary inquiry into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Gail Hickey, mother of T.J. Hickey appeared before the inquiry this afternoon next to representatives of the Indigenous Social Justice Association (NSW), Faith Black and Raul Bassi. Parents of Tane Chatfield, Colin and Nioka, were also on hand to lend support, after submitting a statement to the inquiry yesterday.
A silent vigil marched past NSW Parliament House during the hearing, carrying placards with images of some of the more than 400 victims of Aboriginal deaths in custody since the 1991 report from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody was released.
After about an hour of statements and questions, Gail Hickey left the inquiry in tears, frustrated and distressed by the experience, which she compared with reliving the trauma of the coronial inquest of her son’s death 16 years ago.
The inquiry is expected to hand down its findings early next year.
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