Storm at Yanner flight with minister
17.12.2004

ABORIGINAL activist Murrandoo Yanner, accused of inciting violence against police after last month's Palm Island riots, will fly at taxpayers' expense to the troubled community today with Queensland Indigenous Policy Minister Liddy Clark.
However, Ms Clark, under fire for not visiting the island since the riots, said Mr Yanner and Carpentaria Land Council chief executive Bradley Foster had agreed to reimburse the Government for the cost of the Brisbane-Townville-Palm Island fares.
``Because it was short notice, we agreed to assist with airline bookings on the understanding they would pick up the cost. They have met their own accommodation costs in Townsville,'' the minister's office said last night.
But both Mr Yanner and Mr Foster, who acts as the spokesman for Palm Island residents, denied this.
``That is absolute rubbish,'' Mr Foster said. ``There was no suggestion of reimbursement. If they wanted us to pay we'd still be in Brisbane. We both have plenty else to do.''
Criticised for not visiting the island since Cameron Doomadgee was found dead in a police cell on November 19, Ms Clark rode into a political storm with the disclosure yesterday that Mr Yanner and Mr Foster would accompany her to ``see there is no trouble''.
Queensland Police Union general president Gary Wilkinson said the move was an insult to police and called on Premier Peter Beattie to stop Mr Yanner from boarding the plane with Ms Clark.
``This decision by Liddy Clark demonstrates she is an incompetent fool who is not fit to be a minister,'' Mr Wilkinson said.
``Murandoo Yanner is a criminal who is currently under investigation for his comments in recent weeks, and no government minister ought to be giving him comfort or aiding him in any way.
``I believe very strongly this is an insult to all serving Queensland police, and I urge the Premier to intervene to ensure this man does not set foot on the plane.''
Mr Yanner, a relative of Doomadgee's, was criticised by Police Minister Judy Spence and Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson for his call for violence against police after the riots in which police buildings were torched and 19 people were arrested.
Mr Yanner confirmed Ms Clark had asked him and Mr Foster to accompany her to the island. ``We want her to come because Liddy Clark has an empathy with indigenous people,'' Mr Yanner said.
Mr Foster said the minister's visit was welcome but the real issue was not the riots, but the death in custody of Doomadgee, whose wheelchair-bound mother Doris died yesterday morning.
``What we will be saying is there should be a royal commission into the police handling of everything here -- the death of Cameron, the lack of action by police to handle the aftermath, their terrorism exercise in arresting people with riot gear and shotguns, and them opposing bail to those charged,'' he said.
``It is brutal what is happening to our people here, and our only hope is that a caring minister like Ms Clark might be able to stop the bullying and bring sense to the situation.''
The statement from Ms Clark's office said Mr Yanner and Mr Foster had offered to assist in restoring peace.
Mrs Doomadgee was hospitalised two weeks ago, and her family was concerned about the stress she was suffering following her son's unexplained death.