This week, a new report revealed First Nations people, as well as people of African or Middle Eastern appearance, were disproportionately targeted by police in issuing COVID-19 fines.
Despite the Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton acknowledging structural racism when appearing before the Yoorrook Justice Commission in Victoria, Victoria Police have denied racial profiling in response to this report.
The Yoorrook Justice Commission, established in May 2021, is Victoria’s (and Australia’s) first truth-telling commission into past and ongoing injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria. The Commission will run until 2025 and is due to release an interim report in August 2023.