Leanne Liddle, head of the Northern Territory's Aboriginal Justice Unit, is tackling racism within the police force. She describes this challenge as one of the most difficult assignments of her career. "I was brought up tough, I've been a former police officer, and I know how the system works," Liddle said. "I think this is probably one of the hardest jobs I've ever had to do in my life." Liddle was appointed to her role after a coronial inquest revealed instances of racism among police officers, particularly following the police shooting of Kumanjayi Walker in Yuendumu in 2019. In July, Coroner Elisabeth Armitage highlighted severe examples of racism within the police's elite unit, which were overlooked by then-commissioner Michael Murphy. Five senior officers claimed that a so-called "Coon of the Year" award had no racist implications. The inquest led to 32 formal recommendations for reform. This week, NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole announced a new Anti-Racism Action Plan, which is based on Liddle's work. Liddle, an Arrernte woman from Alice Springs, emphasized that change will not happen quickly. She urged non-Aboriginal individuals to take the lead in these reforms. "This isn't an Aboriginal issue, this is actually everybody's issue," she stated. The first phase of the action plan, set to be implemented by 2027, includes anti-racism training for all police personnel and a review of policies to ensure that Aboriginal Territorians are not disadvantaged in the workplace. Liddle pointed out that systemic racism is often more challenging to identify than overt racism. She cited the lack of Aboriginal interpreters in police call centers as an example of systemic racism. Additionally, she noted that she has reviewed numerous cases of racial profiling involving Aboriginal individuals. "People might ask the race of a particular person when it's not relevant to a call out," she explained. Liddle could not specify how many officers are under investigation for alleged racism, but she indicated that her workload is significant. "It keeps me busy, how's that?" she remarked. The action plan focuses on four key areas: serving and protecting, eliminating racism, representing and reflecting the territory, and accountability. While Liddle has received support from the NT police executive, she acknowledged resistance from some officers under investigation. "It's not a nice, pleasant experience to allege racism, let alone define that it has occurred," she said. Despite challenges, Liddle believes that most officers are committed to professionalism. She has observed positive changes in attitudes among officers, including the return of cultural artifacts taken from communities in the past. However, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, who also serves as the NT police minister, has publicly denied the existence of systemic racism within the force. Liddle maintains that the strategy is not influenced by political views. "This [strategy] isn't influenced by politics, this is an agency document that will go over terms of government no matter who is in power," she stated. Liddle aims to assure the Northern Territory community, where 30 percent of the population is Aboriginal, that racism will not be tolerated. "It's degrading, it's demoralizing and shouldn't be happening in 2025," she said. "The old police force that once allowed this behavior perhaps to go unaddressed and for people not to be held accountable for it, is no longer the police force that we have moving forward."