Content warning for First Nations readers – the following has the name of a deceased Martu woman.
The National Justice Project has welcomed a Coroner’s recommendations for the provision of culturally safe care to Aboriginal prisoners in Western Australia following an inquest into the death in custody of 41-year-old Martu woman Dannielle Lowe.
Ms Lowe had been incarcerated at Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison and died on Christmas Eve in 2022 from complications from a ruptured aneurysm three days earlier. The inquest findings detail missed opportunities for treatment and care as well as evidence that the care she received was not culturally safe.
As well as recommendations relating to the training and practice of medical and custodial staff, Coroner Michael Jenkin made the following recommendation:
In order to provide culturally safe care to Aboriginal prisoners in Western Australia, the Department of Justice should redouble its efforts to recruit Aboriginal staff at its prisons, including medical officers, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and prisoner support officers. Culturally safe care for Aboriginal prisoners in Western Australia may also be achieved by establishing partnerships with Aboriginal community controlled health organisations and medical services, to provide access to visits from Aboriginal health practitioners, and by developing an Aboriginal Elders visiting program.
National Justice Project solicitor Rosaleen Jeffries represented the eldest daughter and family of Ms Lowe during the inquest and helped draw attention to the inequitable and disempowering healthcare in prisons.
“We should not continue to lose First Nations women to ‘missed opportunities’ in their care. His Honour’s findings clearly show the need for our continued fight for systemic change in prisons,” she said.
“The recommendations for culturally safe care from this inquest add to the growing impetus for reform and give the Department of Justice a tangible framework to achieve change,” Ms Jeffries said.
Ms Lowe’s eldest daughter Dakota Mongoo also welcomed the findings: “Mum would be proud of how we have fought for changes to make sure this doesn’t happen to another family. We hope the Coroner’s recommendations to improve the care and treatment of prisoners, especially Aboriginal women, will help save others”.
Read the findings here
Media enquiries media@justice.org.au
Media Coverage
- Inquest into Martu woman’s death in custody finds urgent need for cultural safety in WA prisons
National Indigenous Times, 26 May 2025
