Western Australian Premier Alan Carpenter is warning the state to prepare for more allegations of child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities, after six men were charged with 18 such offences in the Kimberley region.Police have targeted another 20 people of interest and seven other alleged victims of abuse, in a major operation under way across the Kimberley and Pilbara to identify sexual abusers of Indigenous women and children.
In the latest case, six Halls Creek men in their 20s have been charged over the sexual assault of three girls aged between 11 and 14.
An investigation was launched in February, when the Department for Child Protection notified police about a pregnant Halls Creek teenager with a sexually transmissible disease.
The 13-year-old girl was 22 weeks' pregnant at the time and has since given birth.
Mr Carpenter says the operation will extend into other communities.
"We may well have other days like this one, where we are confronted with a raft of complaints which have led to charges and the shock that comes with that," he said.
The most recent charges come after 13 people were charged with similar offences in Kalumburu.
Police expect to lay more charges in both communities.
But Mr Carpenter is maintaining his opposition to the Commonwealth's Indigenous communities action plan.
The Premier says the best way to deal with sexual abuse is to win the confidence of Aboriginal women and children.
"The idea that you go in with a rapid response team, hit the ground, solve the issues and leave, I think, is fraught with problems," he said.
"You have to be able to establish confidence in the authorities in these communities, build up a relationship and trust.
"That is what we are doing in Western Australia."
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