The Minns government has offered an unconditional apology to victims,survivors,families and the LGBTQ community for the way NSW authorities handled gay hate crimes over a four-decade period,backing all 19 recommendations handed down by the world-first commission of inquiry.
Nearly 10 months after NSW Supreme Court Justice John Sackarpresented his final,nearly 3500-page report into unsolved suspected murders of members of the LGBTQ communities in NSW between 1970 and 2010,the government said the inquiry showed major shortfalls in the way those deaths had been dealt with.
Commissioned by the previous Coalition government in 2022 after years of advocacy,the Sackar inquiry considered 32 cases in detail,finding in 25 instances discrimination was likely to have been a factor.
The government supported all 19 recommendations made by the special commission,including a fresh inquest into the “manner and cause of death” of Scott Miller,Paul Rath,Richard Slater and Carl Stockton,and reinvestigating the death of Gerald Cuthbert in response to additional information.
“It is unacceptable that investigations were not consistently handled with professionalism,fairness,respect and compassion. For this,we apologise unreservedly to victims,survivors,loved ones,and LGBTIQ+ communities,” the NSW government said.
Loading
“The inquiry also heard of the deep hurt and betrayal that continues to be felt by LGBTIQ+ communities,and the legacy of distrust of government services enlisted with ensuring the safety and security of all citizens. We offer a sincere and full apology.”
The government supported recommendations to ensure police had world-class experts relating to bias crimes and made efforts to resolve all unsolved homicide deaths in the state.
NSW Police has established Taskforce Atlas to implement recommendations from the inquiry.