TRIBAL LORE ENFORCEMENT INTRODUCED IN NORTH WEST NSW

Bruce Shillingsworth (Facebook)

A new Tribal LORE Enforcement Force has been established in Enngonia and Bourke to tackle crime in the area, which will see the local police take a step back in some areas of crime and instead hand over decision making to the local elders., with local, Bruce Shillingsworth says they are in charge of Tribal Law .

“…..it's purely driven by the elders, you know, the elders are the experts and when we talk

about lore, it's that natural order.

So given that you know Regional people worry if a thousands of years and that law was in place since you know beginning of time, it's just about upholding that and and I'll really want to stress that the Elder said that it's just not about, a human being it's about flora and fauna and our waterways and things like that.

This is a step in a direction, to regain or rebuild back from that damage that's been done over the last 230 plus years.”

Mr Shillingsworth argues that a more “traditional” approach to crime can have a domino effect in preventing other serious crimes committed by Indigenous locals.

“…external entities that feel that they're obligated to come in and take control of the issue. But and we know that that's making it worse due to you know, incarceration rights, statistics on Family Violence removal of children and all that kind of stuff.

As we know elders and community members have not been given the autonomy to deal with these situations themselves and with autonomy, our elders being able to sit down and be listened to.

You know or not just listen to but them being able to you know, take control and make the final decision on what they want or what aligns to law in regards to their families and their you know Community.

The other thing is because elders and people live within the community, there's a something there a special characteristic that then they're able to see certain indicators, you know of possible violence or Family Violence or domestic violence before they come to fruition, because they're in community they know their families.

So when they start seeing those subtle indicators, that's how do we deal with.”