The National Network of Incarcerated & Formerly Incarcerated Women & Girls are deeply concerned by the release of an internal SA Police report advocating for a new “super task force” to respond to what police claim is an “evolving youth crime gang landscape.”
‘The government’s response to this report, and the Opposition’s eagerness to exploit it, are nothing short of alarming,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘Police Minister, Stephen Mullighan himself has confirmed that South Australia has the lowest “youth crime” rate in the country. So why are they even thinking about pouring more resources into police operations that target children and young people—particularly racialised and criminalised kids—under the guise of public safety?’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘Let’s be clear: this is not about safety. This is about expanding police power at the expense of our children,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘For over 20 years, Operation Mandrake has harshly targeted Aboriginal children, subjecting them to disproportionate surveillance and criminalisation,’ said Debbie Kilroy. ‘This report makes it plain: Mandrake has enabled generations of racial profiling, where Aboriginal children are watched, followed, and assumed guilty by default. Police describe these children as part of a “generational issue,” with no self-awareness that their own systemic racism has helped create and maintain these conditions,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘A merged “super task force” bringing together Mandrake and Operation Meld—both deeply racialised in their focus—would double down on the over-policing of Aboriginal and African-background children and young people. This is not a strategy for safety; it is a blueprint for continued harm,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘Meanwhile, families across this state are in urgent need. The law and order budget handed down this year threw more money at cops and cages, while everyday people struggle to keep a roof over their heads, access basic health care, pay their bills, and feed their children. And now we are watching a police force insatiably hungry for more funding—backed by an Opposition ready to pathologise our kids and call for stronger bail laws,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘We know where this road leads. Across the country, governments are using any excuse to toughen bail laws. These are not neutral reforms—they are deliberate strategies to widen the net and trap more children in the criminal legal system,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘South Australia is no exception. The current review of the Bail Act by the South Australian Law Reform Institute—announced on 7 May—is yet another opportunity to punish, rather than support, our children and young people,’ said Tabitha Lean.
We must reject this.
‘We do not want a future where more of our children are locked up, surveilled, or pathologised. We want a future where our kids are safe in their homes, engaged in their classrooms, and supported in their communities. That future won’t be built with handcuffs. It will be built through investment in housing, education, health care, and the programs that keep families together and children strong—not punished,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘The National Network call on the SA Government to stop giving in to police pressure and political opportunism. Reject the call for expanded task forces. Reject any changes to the Bail Act that will harm children and young people. And start investing in what actually keeps us safe—our communities, not cages,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
For further comment, please contact Debbie Kilroy on 0419 762 474 or Tabitha Lean on 0499 780 226.
