Tragic Death of Pregnant First Nations Woman Sparks National Outcry
The horrific death of Kardell Lomas, a 31-year-old Kamilaroi and Munanjali woman, has triggered urgent calls for independent national oversight of police forces across Australia. Lomas had repeatedly sought help from police and other agencies in the months before she was killed, yet systemic failures left her unprotected from her dangerous partner.
Systemic Failures and Missed Opportunities
Guardian Australia's Broken Trust investigation revealed that Lomas, who was pregnant and frightened, had begged authorities for protection. Police eventually discovered her body in the boot of a car, a tragic outcome that her family believes could have been prevented with proper intervention.
Her family has now applied for an inquest to examine multiple failures, including how Queensland police neglected to properly investigate evidence of domestic violence or protect Lomas from her partner. The case has become a flashpoint for broader concerns about how police handle violence against women, particularly First Nations women.
Expert Panel Demands Immediate Action
Sixteen members of the federal government's own expert advisory panel on sexual violence have signed a statement calling on Attorney General Michelle Rowland to take "urgent, decisive action". They emphasised that they had repeatedly warned about chronic police failures to adequately investigate violence during the Australian Law Reform Commission's inquiry.
"We brought forward lived experience, organisational data, and decades of frontline insight," the statement declared. "We made clear that victim-survivors, especially those already marginalised, cannot rely on a system that routinely dismisses or delays their pleas for help."
The panel members expressed deep frustration that the inquiry's recommendations didn't go far enough to address these critical issues, noting that women continue to pay with their lives for inadequate police responses.
Broader Pattern of Police Accountability Failures
The statement highlights the urgent need for truly independent oversight of police responses to violence in every state and territory. Currently, the vast majority of complaints about police are investigated by other police officers, creating obvious conflicts of interest.
In Queensland specifically, a 2022 inquiry recommended establishing a civilian-led integrity unit to handle police complaints, but implementation has stalled. The future of this crucial reform remains uncertain despite clear evidence of its necessity.
The expert panel's statement concluded with a powerful warning: "Without meaningful accountability, preventable deaths will continue." As the Queensland attorney general considers the family's inquest application, national attention remains focused on whether this tragedy will finally trigger the systemic reforms needed to protect vulnerable women.
