Unresolved Tensions: Warlpiri Law, Police Powers and Land Rights

Abstract

This article explores the powerlessness of Indigenous people when confronted with police on ceremonial land. It draws on a recent incident in Lajamanu (northern Tanami Desert, Northern Territory ('NT')) that highlights the conflict between Indigenous and non-Indigenous laws. The incident involved an intrusion on a restricted Warlpiri ceremony ground by non-Indigenous police officers, including a female officer.