The Northern Territory government's record budget spend on policing has divided opinion, with remote Indigenous elders calling for funds to instead be directed into "community-controlled alternatives".
Police Minister Nicole Manison on Thursday announced $510 million in funding for the NT Police Force, which will be included in next week's budget.
"It means more boots on the ground, more police out there," Ms Manison said.
"More Aboriginal Community Police officers, more Aboriginal Liaison officers, more police stations [and] better equipment for our police to do their amazing job right across the Northern Territory every day."
The announcement, which will include money for an additional 21 remote police officers, has been welcomed by the Northern Territory Police Association.
"Members in remote communities have been forced at times to work up to 70 hours of overtime in a fortnight, simply because there is no one available to help," Police Association president Paul McCue said.
Some remote police stations are staffed by as few as three officers.
Funding will help police 'connect with Indigenous communities'
Ms Manison said the budget was a $6.4m increase on last year's and would also support an additional 30 Aboriginal Liaison Officer positions and the establishment of a permanent Community Resilience and Engagement Command.
The minister said the command would "help the Northern Territory Police Fire and Emergency services connect with Indigenous communities".
However, in a lengthy statement following the announcement, elders from the remote community of Yuendumu, where 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by police in 2019, called for the territory's police force to be instead "defunded at large".
"The NT Government has no shame increasing the police budget after the fatal police shooting of our loved one, Kumanjayi Walker," senior Walpiri elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves said.
In March this year, Constable Zachary Rolfe was unanimously acquitted of all charges relating to the death of Kumanjayi Walker after a five-week jury trial.
The statement included a list of 16 "demands" from elders, families and community members of the Walpiri Nation, whose ancestors were the victims of the 1928 Coniston Massacre.
The statement also called for local decision-making powers within the community to include "being able to evict police who do not cooperate with local community or respect our decision-making authority".
Yuendumu elders also cited the 2007 Intervention and subsequent Stronger Futures legislation as "discriminatory powers and laws".
Among the demands of Kumanjayi Walker's community was an "end to racism" in Northern Territory courts, calling for no more all-white juries and for customary law to be considered.
They also demanded a retrial for Constable Rolfe in Alice Springs, an independent investigation into the court process and for the officer to face customary law at Yuendumu.
A coronial inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker will be held in Alice Springs in September.
Police Minister Nicole Manison said maintaining relationships with communities was of "vital" importance.
"This investment is an important step in increasing safety out on our communities," she said.
In response to the funding announcement and the stance of Indigenous elders, NT Police said: "Everyone in our community deserves to be safe, this includes our people. Maintaining protection for all of our residents across 1.4 million square kilometres requires considerable resources."
NT Police said the Community Resilience and Engagement Command was "an important component in assisting to enhance the existing bridge between our agency and Aboriginal communities".
"This additional funding will help to further consolidate and develop this vitally important unit," NT Police said.
Hopes for police mental health funding
A specific breakdown of the $510m police spend is expected to be released when the territory's budget is handed down on May 10.
NT Police Association President Paul McCue said he hoped it would include funding for mental health services for NT Police officers, in the wake of three recent police suicides.
"We hope to see a significant investment in improving the mental health and wellbeing services provided to members, after Police Minister Nicole Manison agreed to undertake a review of services," Mr McCue said.
