The coronial inquest into the death in custody of Jeffrey Winmar will begin on Monday 30 March 2026 at the Coroner’s Court of Victoria and is scheduled to run for 2 weeks.
Jeffrey was a proud Noongar man. He was a beloved son, father, uncle, brother, grandson, and cousin to many. He was a family man that loved spending time with his siblings, nieces and nephews. His family remembers him for his infectious smile and as the protector of his younger siblings. Jeffrey was learning to play the guitar, loved to play footy and had a passion for gospel music. He was proud of his culture and carried a strong belief in Christianity.
He was only 28 years old when he passed away after being arrested by Victoria Police. Multiple police units, including the canine unit attended a house to arrest him. Jeffrey was hospitalised with serious injuries after he fell unconscious following a police pursuit on 9 November 2023. He never recovered, passing away two days later on 11 November.
Jeffrey’s family are concerned about the conduct and accountability of police and health services. They are seeking answers about how Jeffrey was treated during his pursuit and arrest. Jeffrey’s family have questions about the medical treatment he received, and whether more could have been done to ensure Jeffrey was still alive today.
Jeffrey’s father, Jeffrey Anderson, is represented by the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and Jeffrey’s mother Ursulla Winmar is represented by Victorian Legal Aid in the inquest.
The family thanks all those who have sent messages of support and welcome you all to stand in solidarity with them as they embark on this long journey of justice. We invite all those to attend the Coroners Court for the inquest in support of the family.
*Maaman means ‘man’ in the Noongar language.
Quotes Attributable to Ursulla Winmar, Jeffrey’s mother:
“Jeffrey texted me on 6 October 2023. He said, ‘Happy Birthday my Queen, you’re the best person I ever got to meet and I am so glad and proud that I get to call you my mum.’
That was his last birthday wish to me.
Family was everything to Jeffrey, his love for his son was profound. He had so much love to give. He was always on the phone, checking in on all of us, showing up for people who needed him. In recent years, he had started working on himself and re-connecting with his faith and ringing me more often. He spoke to me about learning humbleness, patience – about becoming the best version of himself he knew he could be.
He was the kind of person who shared that knowledge freely, like a gift he couldn’t keep for himself. For his younger siblings, he was a protector and a guide, helping shape them to be better people, to be ready to face the world.
He taught his sister Margaret how to drive. Margaret said she knew she stressed him out, but he always went with gentleness and humour. When he watched his little brother Philip play footy, he’d write down all his stats for him. Jeffrey worked with both Philip and Eli, and helped them train for boxing. Margaret and Roberta would teach him how to do TikTok dances wherever they could – the backyard, the park – sometimes squeezed in between the boys’ footy training.
Jeffrey was 28.
I am looking for justice for my son. I want people to be accountable for what happened to him. We should not have had to come this far to seek the truth. Two years later, we are still in the dark about how he ended up in hospital with internal bleeding and organ failure.
No mother should have to navigate a coronial inquest to get basic answers. But we are here because the processes that are meant to protect our people and hold systems accountable have failed us. Until this country properly accounts for First Nations deaths in custody – and until those responsible for their care are genuinely held to account – there will be more Jeffreys. More mothers like me. More broken homes like ours.
My kids have pleaded with me not to let the same thing happen this time. For something to change, for someone to be held to account. Without it, I don’t know what will become of our family. I have been robbed of my son. How will we continue to live with this pain?
We placed our trust in a system supposed to protect us. But systems protect themselves first – the way a family closes ranks when one of its own is questioned. I understand that instinct, but I cannot accept it when it comes at the cost of my son’s life.”
Quotes Attributable to Jeffrey Pep Anderson, Jeffrey Winmar’s father.
“My son Jeff was an energetic, loveable, happy-go-lucky person who had an infectious smile that lit up the room. He was a beacon of positivity.
Jeff got along with everyone and carried his Noongar culture and his strong belief in Christianity with him everywhere he went. Jeff would bring the family together in a way that no one else could.
Jeff was always an incredibly respectful boy and son. Other kids might talk back to their parents but never Jeffrey. He would never say a bad word to his family and was very respectful to his Elders.
Jeff loved footy. I could see it from when he was a young boy starting Auskick. He just lit up the oval. In my community we would have kids come to watch Jeff play because he was so exciting to watch. He started getting noticed and played for the WA Football League when he was older.
Whenever Jeff played football he would talk like a leader, encouraging others, even when he wasn’t the captain. He won lots of awards and trophies including for best and fairest.
Jeff was close to his uncle Nicky Winmar. Nicky is an AFL legend not just in the family but to all Aboriginal people, for how well he played and also for how he called out racism. Nicky encouraged Jeff to join the Northern Territory Football League. I think Nicky could see how talented Jeff was.
Jeff kept playing football when he went to Melbourne and Sydney and used to love to come back to WA for Aboriginal Footy Carnivals. He was really looking forward to playing in the 2024 AFL season.
Jeff moved to Melbourne to try and start over. We spoke on the phone around twice each week and he would always make sure I was taking my medication. Just before he died, I could tell that he was feeling down and lonely. I think he was feeling a bit lost.
A few days before he died, Jeff called me and said, “Dad, I need you”. I wanted to try and get some money together for an airfare for him, so he could come back to WA to be with his family and play AFL. But I was injured and had just lost my job, so I knew I couldn’t do it straight away. It broke my heart that I couldn’t help him right away when he needed it.
What happened to Jeff is not right. Jeff didn’t die on his own. There needs to be accountability.
I still have a lot of questions about how Jeff died. I want to know why they used police dogs and when did police notice that Jeff was unwell? I want to know why police cancelled an ambulance for Jeff and what caused his injuries? I was shocked to find out that only one police officer had their body worn camera on and I want to know why more of them didn’t.
Jeff wasn’t a nobody. He was my boy.
I hope that through the coronial process I will get answers about what happened to my son Jeff. We are devastated by his death.”
Quotes Attributable to Nerita Waight, CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service:
“The circumstances around Jefferey’s passing in custody are devastating. My heart goes out to his family and all who loved him. I wish I could promise families that a coronial inquest means that what happened to their loved ones will never again happen to anyone else, but tragically this is not the case. Time and time again we see people dying in similar circumstances.”
“626 Aboriginal community members have died in custody since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, that is 626 families who continue to mourn for their loved ones, and the futures they hoped for. The impacts ripple across families and communities, and the trauma and suffering is profound. In the past 12 months we have seen the highest numbers of Aboriginal people die in custody since the Royal Commission. This is a national shame.”
“I am proud that VALS can support his family by representing his father Pep during this coronial process. We know that the coronial process is inherently unsafe for our people, so VALS will do all we can, and walk alongside Jeffrey’s family in their fight for truth and justice. We hope this process can start giving them the answers they need.”
Quotes Attributable to Apryl Day, VALS Board Member and Founding EO of the Dhadjowa Foundation
“As we head into the inquest into the death of Jeffrey Winmar, it’s important that we ground ourselves in who he was, what his family are living through, and how long they have been waiting for answers while carrying grief and uncertainty.
What happened to Jeffrey is not an isolated incident. It speaks to a system that continues to harm our people – one that was never designed with us in mind and refuses to hold itself accountable when our people die within it.
At Dhadjowa, we walk alongside families living through this every day. We see the strength it takes to keep going, to keep showing up, to keep asking questions, and to keep pushing for truth in systems that resist it.
This process must be about more than procedure. It must lead to real accountability. Because without that, we will continue to see the same failures, the same harm, and more families forced into this position.
Jeffrey was deeply loved. He mattered. And his family deserves answers and genuine accountability and justice.“