The Mayor of Tennant Creek has rejected calls for his resignation amid outcry over a video showing him pinning an Indigenous boy to the ground. Jeffrey McLaughlin has denied any wrongdoing... ahead of a snap confidential meeting of the Barkly Regional Council next week to discuss the incident.
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TVTranscript
00:00 "I'll sit here as long as I have to."
00:04 This is the footage the Mayor of Tennant Creek describes as a legal citizen's arrest.
00:12 Geoffrey McLaughlin sitting on an Indigenous boy he chased down after an alleged break-in
00:17 at his home in August as another man makes threats.
00:20 "Keep your head down mate."
00:24 The Outback Mayor facing calls for his resignation over the incident from the head of Australia's
00:28 Body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children who describes the incident as sickening
00:34 and inexcusable.
00:35 "No matter what this child is alleged to have done, this is unacceptable behaviour
00:40 from two grown men, especially from a person who is meant to be a community leader."
00:45 The Territory's Acting Children's Commissioner also alarmed.
00:49 "I'm deeply concerned that this footage shows vigilantism is alive in the Northern
00:54 Territory and that this behaviour is only encouraged by the continued negative, stereotypical
01:00 and often discriminatory portrayal of children in the media and on social media."
01:05 Police say they're aware of the footage which emerged on Friday and are investigating.
01:11 Councillor McLaughlin says he immediately called NT Police who took the child into custody
01:16 and he later engaged in restorative justice with the family.
01:19 He says the actions of the other man were inappropriate but he used reasonable force
01:24 himself and the incident's been taken out of context.
01:28 A confidential meeting of the Tennant Creek Council will discuss the Mayor's actions
01:32 when he returns from pre-arranged leave on Monday.
01:34 "One of the Councillors might call no confidence, one of the Councillors might raise the request
01:42 for him to stand down or to resign, that's up to the Councillors."
01:47 Geoffrey McLaughlin says he won't be resigning.
01:50 [BLANK_AUDIO]