Queensland government ‘opens old wounds’ as police officer criticised after Palm Island riots appointed to Legal Aid board

Exclusive: Townsville lawyer and former detective Darren Robinson’s appointment by attorney general Deb Frecklington has ‘brought back a lot of trauma’ for Indigenous community

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The Queensland government has “opened old wounds” by appointing a former police detective who was heavily criticised for his role in events surrounding the 2004 riots on Palm Island to the state’s Legal Aid board, say First Nations community leaders and members of the legal fraternity.

The Liberal National party government sacked and replaced all Labor-appointed members of the Legal Aid Queensland board last month.