Royal Commission to inquire into and report upon certain incidents in which Aborigines were involved in the Laverton area
Laverton Royal Commission
23 April 1975 – 13 April 1976
Joint Commonwealth–Western Australian royal commission into confrontations between Aboriginal people and police at Laverton, Western Australia, in December 1974 and January 1975, including the mass arrests at Skull Creek.
How it came into existence
Proposed in February 1975 by the federal Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Jim Cavanagh, as a jointly funded inquiry; Premier Charles Court agreed when the Commonwealth threatened to act alone, on condition that Western Australia appoint two of the three commissioners. It came into being in April 1975 with Gresley Clarkson QC, Ernie Bridge and Elliott Johnston QC as commissioners.
How it ended
Reported in April 1976. It found that large numbers of Aboriginal men had been arrested without justification and that police had constructed a false account to justify the arrests, accepting the substance of the Aboriginal version of events; its recommendations on underlying causes had little immediate policy effect. The Parliamentary Handbook gives 13 April 1976 as the date the final report was presented.
Main functions
- Incidents between Aboriginal people and police at Laverton and Skull Creek
- Police conduct and the laying of charges
- Underlying causes and remedies
Lineage
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Sources
Government records and websites
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.