The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) welcomes the announcement this week that IBAC has criminally charged two police officers involved in an arrest of our client, Wade, in August 2025. VALS are proud to be representing Wade, a young Aboriginal man, as he seeks justice and accountability for what happened to him. VALS’ Wirraway Police and Prison Accountability Practice will be representing Wade as we pursue civil damages from Victoria Police for the harm caused.
It is alleged a Senior Constable unlawfully struck Wade in the head with his taser multiple times, they have been charged with aggravated assault with a weapon. A Sergent is alleged to have struck Wade in the head with his knee, they have been charged with unlawful assault. Wade says, “I remember feeling a police officer’s knee pressed into the back of my neck while face down on the ground.”
Within the criminal legal system, systemic racism plays a significant role which greatly impacts the lives of Aboriginal people every day. This can look like racial profiling, racial abuse, over-policing, use of force, higher rates of searches, arrest, fines, bail refusal and remand.
Victoria’s police oversight system falls drastically short – police investigating themselves will never deliver real accountability. VALS has been calling for the establishment of an independent police oversight body for many years, this is because the system is broken and there is no access to justice. In 2020-2021, 94.3% of complaints against police were investigated by Victoria police themselves or not investigated at all. Despite facing higher rates of police misconduct, Aboriginal people are less likely to make a formal complaint.
IBAC’s Focused Police Complaints Team, which oversaw this compliant, was launched in 2025 investigates serious, single incident allegations of Victorian Police misconduct against people from communities at a higher risk of experiencing police misconduct, this includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Last year this team assessed 28 allegations of misconduct, with one police officer being charged with common assault. We know this week’s announcement is not the norm but displays a capacity of IBAC to pursue accountability. Despite this, we know from our clients, the demand is so much higher than the capacity of that dedicated team allows.
VALS continues to call for an independent police oversight body that ensures that all complaints of police misconduct are handled in a timely and culturally safe manner. Police have been getting away with their abhorrent and dangerous behaviour for far too long and Aboriginal communities continue to be unfairly targeted by this.
Quotes Attributable to Wade, VALS’ client:
“It has been almost a year since my arrest, I didn’t think anything was going to happen to them. I thought that what happened to me was how everyone got treated.”
“I am thankful for the bodycam footage from that night. It’s always their word against yours and if those cameras weren’t recording, I don’t even want to think about what they could have done to me.”
“The police aren’t above the law, they put me in hospital and need to be held to account for this. I support IBAC’s investigation and welcome these charges, I just hope these officers take accountability for what they did to me.”
Quotes Attributable to Nerita Waight, CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service:
“It is not every day that we receive the news of charges being laid following an IBAC investigation of police misconduct. VALS welcomes this determination by IBAC, as we know our client deserves justice and accountability for the harms he suffered.”
“Racism persists in our criminal legal system, it is part of the ongoing colonial project of state control. Officers of the law continually perpetuate racism and discrimination which causes further harm on Aboriginal communities. Victoria Police have confirmed that both officers remain on duty. This is an abhorrent example of abuse of power and lack of accountability. We know Wade is not alone in his experience, and sadly we have represented families who have lost loved ones in police custody. How many more times do our people have to suffer for this government to act and establish an independent police oversight body immediately.”