Richard Rolfe, the father of former Northern Territory police constable Zachary Rolfe, has told a federal government inquiry that more must be done to address widespread racist behaviour within the NT police force. Zachary Rolfe shot and killed Warlpiri man Kumanjayi Walker on 9 November 2019 in Yuendumu, about 300km from Alice Springs, while attempting to arrest him. Walker, 19, had stabbed Rolfe with scissors moments before the fatal shooting. Rolfe was acquitted of murder and manslaughter in March 2022 and later dismissed from the force for unrelated matters.
Submission to Inquiry
In a submission to the inquiry into racism, hate, and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Richard Rolfe stated he wished to contribute his knowledge about widespread racist behaviour within the NT police force. He said this behaviour has not only increased trauma for First Nations people but has been condoned as acceptable by the current Country Liberal Party (CLP) government in the NT.
The submission references evidence from an inquest into Walker's death, which revealed that the NT's tactical response group held annual events featuring racist awards. However, it omits mention of racist text messages shared by Zachary Rolfe with colleagues or the coroner's findings.
Coroner's Findings
Coroner Elisabeth Armitage, in her findings delivered in July 2025, stated: “Mr Rolfe was racist, and he worked in and benefited from an organisation with the hallmarks of institutional racism.” She noted she could not exclude the possibility that his racist attitudes were operative in his decisions on the day of the shooting, calling this a tragedy for Walker's family and community. Armitage also warned against viewing Rolfe as “one bad apple” and described the racist awards as “among the most grotesque examples of racism uncovered during the Inquest.”
Richard Rolfe included copies of the awards in his submission, some of which were not entered into evidence during the inquest. He also provided other examples of racism, including a sergeant who shared a photo of a topless Aboriginal woman with a WhatsApp group of officers in Alice Springs, and allegations that a senior officer was ejected from a Chinese restaurant for racist slurs against Asian staff.
Criticism of Government
Richard Rolfe spent much of his submission criticising the Finocchiaro government, suggesting it lacks the appetite for reform. He noted that Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, who also serves as police minister, has repeatedly refused any genuine external investigation into the NT police since taking power. In March 2025, Finocchiaro ordered an inquiry into police recruitment after former commissioner Michael Murphy was ousted over a jobs-for-mates scandal.
The joint standing committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs held its first public hearing in Sydney on Friday and plans further hearings elsewhere.
