Calls for better solutions as Kalgoorlie marks 10 years since protest

Ten years have passed since a protest erupted in the heart of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia's gold mining hub. In August 2016, 200 people gathered in anger after the death of 14-year-old Elijah Doughty, who was struck by a man trying to reclaim a stolen motorbike. The community felt the sting of racism and racial tensions, which ultimately led to a state and federal summit to address these issues.

The summit identified eight areas for improvement, with the lack of targeted family and youth support being the primary concern.

Despite the attention on the matter, 10 years later, some local leaders feel that not enough has been done to engage the region's youth. Bill Ring, chair of the Eastern Goldfields First Nations Council, has seen some improvements but remains skeptical about politicians' follow-through. He believes that a dedicated drop-in center for youth, along with community-led programs, would have made a significant difference. However, those initiatives did not materialize, leaving the community feeling neglected.

Rene Reddingius, coach of the Blazers Basketball team, emphasizes the importance of providing young people with a sense of purpose. His program uses basketball as a means to engage kids and build life skills. While he acknowledges the presence of police may deter some youth, he believes a dedicated cross-cultural center could be a better solution.

Leonora, a town 200km north of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, has introduced programs to engage young people with similar issues, suggesting that a similar approach could work in the Goldfields. Kalgoorlie-Boulder's youth action plan states that they are exploring the feasibility of a drop-in center, but the city's youth development manager, Lauren Chapman-Holle, states that they are running ongoing activities to engage with young people and finding the right model for the community.