Queensland’s premier has condemned “horrific” racist slurs made by the state’s police officers in audio recordings leaked from the Brisbane city watchhouse.
Officers caught on the leaked recordings can be heard discussing beating and burying black people, referring to Nigerians as “jigaboos”, and raising fears that Australia “will be f***ing taken over”.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed she was aware of the recordings.
“I’ve heard certain excerpts from it – it is horrific,” Ms Palaszczuk told reporters on Monday.
“Let me say very clearly that there is no place for people who are police officers to be racist in their language.”
The racist language was secretly recorded in watchhouse holding cells before being released by The Guardian.
Transcripts reveal police referring to a black detainee as “a gorilla in the mist” as jokes are made about a female Indigenous detainee who “won’t give you a f***ing blowjob.”
Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli said it was important the Queensland Police Service made necessary changes.
“The vast majority of police officers are also demanding the change be driven,” he said.
“They don’t want their reputation tarnished by those who are saying and doing the wrong thing.”
The recordings were submitted to Queensland’s commission of inquiry into police responses to domestic and family violence with a final report handed to the government on Monday.
The report will be considered by cabinet before it is released.
– with AAP
