The Wire

Today the South Australian coroner handed down a report into the deaths of four aboriginal youths from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands. They died in 2003 from petrol sniffing. Sadly, many of the recommendations outlined by the coroner echo similar findings handed down on the issue in 2002. While the State Government claims that a comprehensive and co-ordinated program for improving conditions in the Pitlands is in place, critics have claimed that the coroners report is an indictment. They say both State and Federal government’s have failed to take strong action on an issue that claims the lives of many young aboriginal people. Commenting in this story are the Democrats’ Kate Reynolds, a member of the South Australian Legislative Council the Director of the South Australian Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council, Scott Wilson.

Coroner’s report: Ward Kunmanara, Ken Kunmanara , Ryan Kunmanara , Kunmanara Cooper