INQUIRY WELCOMES PAINTINGS, POETRY AND SONG AS WITNESS TESTIMONIES

BY ELIZA KLOSER

Senator Dorinda Cox. Credit: Australian Greens.

The Federal Senate Inquiry into Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Children begins its first hearing at the end of this month. 

Noongar-Yamatji woman and Greens Senator Dorinda Cox who established the Inquiry told Ngaarda Media that for the first time witness statements can be given in a range of forms.

“They weren’t just in written format, they were also in paintings in poetry, in song,” she said.

Senator Cox said it was important to ensure a culturally sensitive process could be used for the Inquiry.

‘‘The memories or the emotions that are attached to some of these cases in particular, it’s quite hard to put that into words. So they’re an expression of that,” she said.

The Inquiry will allow the Senate committee to learn about Indigenous people’s experiences in the justice system.

Listen to the full interview and find out more information about the Inquiry here: