The Hedland Aboriginal Strong Leaders (HASL) are deeply concerned about the child safety issues identified in Hedland in recent weeks. 

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Every child in Hedland deserves to be safe. As Elders, and as a community, it is our shared responsibility to ensure children and young people in Hedland are looked after. This responsibility includes families, services, organisations delivering support on the ground and government at every level. When any part of that system falls short, children pay the price. 

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As Elders, we advocate strongly for Aboriginal children to stay connected to family and culture because we know that connection makes them stronger. However, remaining with parents or other family members cannot be to the detriment of the child's safety and wellbeing. Where necessary, we support placing children in out-of-home care in accordance with the established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principles. 

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This position is not something we take lightly. Some members of HASL are part of the Stolen Generation. We understand, more than most, the weight of history when it comes to the removal of Aboriginal children. That history was driven by policies of assimilation, not by care for child safety. It should never be confused with the work being done today to protect children who are at risk. 

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We are not interested in pointing fingers for the sake of it, but we are also not going to pretend the current system is working when it isn't. That failure needs to be named, it needs to be owned by those responsible, and it needs to be fixed by working together. 

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Yesterday we sat around the table with Minister Sanderson, Minister Stojkovski and department officials to ensure government fully understands the failures in the system that are happening in Hedland. The conversation was open and honest, and we were clear about what we believe will and won't work. 

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We welcome their immediate commitment to supporting a staged expansion of Hedland House to seven nights a week. This will require support and funding beyond simply opening the doors for four extra nights. We were grateful that the Ministers and officials understood this. 

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We were also encouraged by their commitment to working with us on longer term change to ensure our children are safe. HASL and Julyardi will work with anyone who genuinely wants to deliver better outcomes for our children - government, industry, other Aboriginal organisations, and the broader Hedland community. Our door is open and will continue to be. 

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We also expect the same commitment in return. Every organisation and every agency working to Close the Gap in Hedland needs to show up, share information appropriately, follow through on what they say they'll do, and put children's safety ahead of process and politics. 

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Our children can no longer afford short-term thinking that doesn't turn into long-term, systemic change.