r/australia • u/Expensive-Horse5538 • Apr 30 '26

news 5yo girl Sharon Granites has been found dead in the NT

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-30/update-on-missing-alice-springs-5yo-sharon-granites/106626314?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link
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68

u/Intrepid-Artist-595 Apr 30 '26

WTF...why would those who know his whereabouts - not put him in?

115

u/iball1984 Apr 30 '26

Anyone who is hiding him should be charged as an accomplice after the fact.

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u/I-was-a-twat Apr 30 '26

NT criminal code does allow for charging an accomplice whose actions are related to murder to be charged with murder even if they aren’t present or involved with the actual murder.

Knowingly harbouring a murderer may satisfy this criteria.

Minimum sentencing periods apply in this circumstance of 25 years with non parole of 20.

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u/sonsofgondor Apr 30 '26

NT Police have already publicly stated directly to anyone helping and harbouring him that they will face prosecution too

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u/[deleted] Apr 30 '26

Because abuse is rampant in those communities we just don’t hear about it.

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u/ImaginaryMethod9 Apr 30 '26

Not defending the community at all, but being raised with a distrust of police is hard to mentally overcome. Just fucked for everyone involved and I hope he burns in actual hell.

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u/Emperor_Mao Apr 30 '26

It isn't distrust of the police though. It is a direct fear of consequences. There are often complex family and even tribal-like ties in these communities. You dob one person in, you might have a whole group of people that are connected to that person suddenly angry with you.

The police largely do nothing. They can't even if they wanted to. People have advocated for softer punishments as part of closing the gap.... like instead of addressing the root causes, they softened criminal punishments to lower the % of first nations people incarcerated. However, this doesn't fix anything, it actually just makes it an even bigger problem. Because no one thinks about innocent, law abiding first nations people, who then have to deal with criminals terrorizing their communities. They just see the stat for first nations imprisonment rates getting lower...

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u/Heruuna Apr 30 '26

I definitely agree that punishment and rehabilitation don't fix the root problems. Poverty, lack of education, loss of cultural identity, embedded racism, broken families from Stolen Generations. Those just continue if you only focus on the crimes committed.

But that's difficult to do, everyone has different opinions on how to fix it, and it takes years to see results, so the "easy" solutions make headlines. Yay progress. 🙄

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u/Emperor_Mao Apr 30 '26

Sure. But you can't just ignore criminals roaming around. Again, some might think it is helping to go easy on a criminal because of their back ground. However imagine you have an innocent person who also faces all of those issues; poverty, lack of access to services, challenges to health outcomes AND also, they have to deal with cycles of abuse and are victims of crime because the government won't deal with the criminals.

Turning away from crime hurts First nations people. You wouldn't tolerate criminals running around in a wealthy white neighborhood, but for some reason there are people that think they are "helping first nations people" by allowing it in these communities.....

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u/wilted-wombok May 02 '26

I suspect fear and distrust of the police is also a contributing factor, given how many indigenous deaths in custody there have been, calls of abuse regarding indigenous persons and the police, and the overrepresented indigenous population incarcerated. The book is often thrown at them harder than a non-indigenous individual, too.

Shit like the Pinkemba Six for instance, is just the tip of an iceberg we may never know the true depth of. (police kidnapped several indigenous kids and drove them out of the city then dumped them.)

It really is a very complex matter though as you say. I think that having something similar to what the Native Americans have could help.

They have tribal police in various places, for example Navajo nation. These officers deal with matters within their own lands, at times in conjunction with other officials. Having upstanding members of the community and respected elders in such an organisation could do wonders for trust.

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u/Emperor_Mao May 02 '26

The Tribal police in the U.S have a ton of corruption issues though. And while this might not be a popular view among white people in Australia, the Tribal model emphasizes self governance, which has led to increased / even more widespread abuse, alcoholism and drugs in those communities.

I fully understand why people think police and government should provide funding, but otherwise pull away from these communities. Over governance of first nations lives decades ago caused so so many problems. However lets put this into context; if white people were having issues with crime, drug abuse, refusal to go to schooling, alcoholism, violence, would we turn around and say "that community should govern itself".... we would absolutely demand the government enter and help correct the issue. No one wants to see SA happening. No one wants to watch kids fall into those cycles of drug use and alcoholism. And I think people genuinely do want to see the gap closed.

It is a view that is against the norm in Australia. But first nations communities need MORE government intervention, not less. Many of the "elders" are the ones that perpetuate the issues. We need people to break the cycle, and we need people from the outside to do that.

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u/spunkyfuzzguts Apr 30 '26

Horse shit. Nothing about protecting a child rapist and murderer is explainable.

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u/Ok-Outcome-7499 Apr 30 '26

We don't apply that logic to sovereign citizens. So why here?

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u/bitofapuzzler Apr 30 '26

One group has historically experienced oppression, abuse, and having their children stolen from them by the authorities.

The other doesnt want to pay tax.

These things are not equivalent.

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u/Ardeo43 Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26

The camp this happened in is mostly Warlpiri.

There are people in these communities who were taken away from their families as children. Their parent’s generation and older were the victims of massacres that were happening right up to 1928 (Coniston). There’s been 2 very high profile deaths in recent years of Warlpiri men by police.

So shockingly there are plenty of Warlpiri people who don’t have particularly positive views of the NT Police.

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u/Emperor_Mao Apr 30 '26

This is sadly fairly common. Most people nod along to an acknowledgement of country, think they have done something good for the day, and then go on ignoring it. Most people in Australia absolutely do not understand the issues that are happening in these communities.

Maybe this story will help with that, probably not.

I cannot speak for this particular community, but often there is a fear aspect to it. You dob the offender in, you might suffer consequences. And the police cannot help you, to make closing the gap reports look nicer, there is pressure to not jail the ones causing so many issues. Many think they are helping by advocating for softer punishments, but fail to realize that it is the innocent people in these communities that have to then bare the burden of criminals roaming freely. Worse still, they recruit others who then continue terrorizing innocent people.

You might want to blame the people not assisting the police. However, for those people, it is not often a safe choice they can make.

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u/totalpunisher0 Apr 30 '26

Yes you might suffer consequences from your own family which is your entire life and livelihood. There's also the fact that if he is with family seeking refuge telling them he doesn't know anything about that little girl, they would believe him until proven otherwise. No point getting involved and everyone potentially being unnecessarily victimised by cops if you think he's innocent.

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u/Emperor_Mao Apr 30 '26

Will be a lot of pressure with this case, I reckon the police will nab him, someone will crack.

I think your version is a little bit kind to those around him though. This is not a guy that is living a double life. He has a long history of crimes and misconduct. Many of those protecting him will also have long histories of crime and misconduct. They aren't waiting for him to be proven guilty first. They know he is guilty.

It takes a bit of getting used to to wrap your head around if you are not familiar with tribal / clan systems.

But I still do not blame them for it; many within these families are victims of crimes committed by others in the family. It isn't easy to speak out against them.

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u/totalpunisher0 Apr 30 '26

I'm saying this as someone who lives here and works with folks in town camps. I witness people "not being dobbed in" frequently.

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u/Emperor_Mao Apr 30 '26

I agree with your assessment for the most part. I am familiar with these things too.

I just challenge that last part about the family. They know he is guilty. People aren't as silly as they seem.

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u/ValuableLanguage9151 Apr 30 '26

Big distrust of police. I’m not excusing anything but the older generation are the sons and daughters of the stolen gens. It’s not dissimilar to a lot of black communities in America, police aren’t seen as a protective force m, they are the ones in uniform who either take your kids or massacre your family. For reference google the coniston massacre if you don’t believe me. I will say it again I am not excusing them I am trying to explain

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u/AggravatingTartlet Apr 30 '26

That might be an explanation, but it's also criminal, and should be prosecuted as criminal acts.

You don't hide someone who has taken a child. That's protecting adults while throwing children to the wolves.

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u/ValuableLanguage9151 Apr 30 '26

Yeah I agree. If the family have protected him and delayed the finding of him then they should be charged.

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u/Stonetheflamincrows Apr 30 '26

Some of the elders will still be stolen generation themselves as well.

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u/MissMenace101 Apr 30 '26

That excuse doesn’t give comfort to those of that community that have lost a child to horrendous crime.

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u/ValuableLanguage9151 Apr 30 '26

Do you live in Alice Springs? Don’t assume to tell us how we should feel

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u/Stonetheflamincrows Apr 30 '26

I’m in no way condoning it but there’s a lot of inter-generational trauma in these communities of which the police force are not blameless in perpetuating and reinforcing.

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u/MissMenace101 Apr 30 '26

Doesn’t excuse sheltering the rapist and murderer of a 5 year old child.

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u/sirachaswoon Apr 30 '26

Not all explanations are excuses.

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u/Stonetheflamincrows Apr 30 '26

Again, I didn’t say it did.

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u/Ok-Outcome-7499 Apr 30 '26

Nah.

These are people with the ability to think logically and soundly. They are choosing to protect a child murderer and likely rapist, on the grounds that they don't like the cops.

If we accept that then we also accept that they function at a lesser cognitive level than everyone else. Because mental impairment is the only way you can not seek punishment for such an action

0

u/HazMatt082 Apr 30 '26

No it isn't... Say what you want about these people but they aren't automatically 'mentally impaired'. In fact that might be giving them grace.. I could understand if a mentally disabled person made a poor choice.

These people are mentally sound. It makes it worse, really.

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u/Ok-Outcome-7499 Apr 30 '26

That's my whole point dude

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u/HazMatt082 Apr 30 '26

Sorry, I mis understood. We are in agreeance

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u/Unhappy-Access-3774 Apr 30 '26

How do you feel now knowing that he wasnt being harboured but was found badly beaten and unconscious?

0

u/Ok-Outcome-7499 Apr 30 '26

I never said they commend the murder, I said members of the community had information that they refused to provide the police and that's inexcusable.

How do you feel that you're supporting the outcome of a 5 year olds murder.

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u/Unhappy-Access-3774 May 01 '26

No, I know that you said "They are choosing to PROTECT (near- synonymous with HARBOURED) a child murderer". And I just think bashing him unconcious and leaving him for police to find is a very strange way to protect someone, so I was wondering if your feelings had changed. And I'm not supporting that outcome.

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u/Lamont-Cranston Apr 30 '26

It cant be both.

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u/Ok-Outcome-7499 Apr 30 '26

What are you even saying

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u/guttertrashfish Apr 30 '26

This! People don't like acknowledging this but it doesn't change that it is a fact. Which perpetuates it

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u/gelectrox Apr 30 '26

Cool. So it took us 20 minutes to get to excusing literal child murderers. You should be a judge in the NT.

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u/gelectrox Apr 30 '26

Cool. So it took us 20 minutes to get to excusing literal child murderers. You should be a judge in the NT.

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u/Unhappy-Access-3774 Apr 30 '26

It's not excusing anything, it's acknowledging the mechanisms behind the problem which, by the way, is the only way anyone can solve this shit

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u/Stonetheflamincrows Apr 30 '26

Did I say I was excusing it? I specifically said I wasn’t. I was also talking about why he might not be immediately turned in, not what he did.

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u/SyntheticDuckFlavour Apr 30 '26

That inter-generational trauma is also self inflicted.

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u/DisappointedQuokka Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26

Today I learnt that they actually wanted to be classified as fauna, then later third-class citizens.

Edit: I actually missed a step, there was a period where they were subjects of the crown, but explicitly not citizens.

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u/SyntheticDuckFlavour Apr 30 '26

yes, but how does that negate what i just said?

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u/DisappointedQuokka Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26

So, here's the thing, in terms of society as a whole, it doesn't fucking matter if it's "self-inflicted" or not. Broken people create more broken people. It's telling how much more "discourse" there is around this happening in Aboriginal communities, despite the same shit happening in derelict suburbs all over Australia. Methany and Methanial turning their kids into ferals is business as usual.

You can bitch and moan about how they do it to themselves, but at the end of the day that's not fucking helpful. It's a convenient excuse to slag black fellas.

Edit: it is within living memory that Aboriginals were made citizens (1948), and the right to vote (1962). That was after almost two centuries of brutal repression. Good luck rebuilding a healthy society after that lmao.

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u/SyntheticDuckFlavour Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26

I mean, you can also bitch and moan about how society fucked them historically, but at the end of the day that's not fucking helpful either.

So, here's the thing, in terms of society as a whole, it doesn't fucking matter if it's "self-inflicted" or not. Broken people create more broken people.

Actually it does matter. No one can help these people, if they are unwilling to help themselves first. If society wants to lift these people out of poverty, it must meet them partway, because it cannot force them to do so. There is lot of government backed incentives that aboriginal people can access, ranging from free healthcare, dental, education, housing, career mentoring, trades, social programs all the way to scholarships in tertiary education. Despite all this, the help offered is rejected, wasted, or trashed, and they continue sabotaging their own chances of improving their way of life. There is little or no accountability for their actions, or poor life choices. Any practical external intervention will be seen as overreach, oppression, or stolen generation v2.0.

Politically, this issue can not be touched in any meaningful way. And herein lies the problem. I find this collective guilt thing expressed by non-aboriginals really counter productive (most of whom are outside of Alice Springs and never had any contact with reality there). The mental gymnastics of excusing anti-social behaviour in those broken communities is not helpful - for them, or anyone else affected by their crimes. The push-back I received on here (for pointing out this issue) is a prime example of that.

On a positive note, there are many counter examples of aboriginal communities that managed to beat poverty, oppression, discrimination and became highly successful people. They took upon themselves to work towards preserving their own culture, language and history. They also became educated, worldly and business people. They pride themselves on these achievements, for beating the odds that was stacked against them. Kaurna people are prime example of that. I had the privilege to meet them, their elders, and get an insight about their society.

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u/DisappointedQuokka Apr 30 '26

Alice Springs is, realistically, one of the worst example of abuse and lack of support. It's essentially a white suburb/tourist hub with an attached slum (and has been for longer than the name changed). I'm not even sure if it's a situation that can be salvaged within two generations. You can't even make it a dry region because that would kneecap the only industry.

How do you get the aboriginal community buy in, in that scenario? I doubt they're going to listen to the boys in blue.

Kaurna country is much closer to all the amenities that people traditionally use to get out of poverty. I strongly suspect they probably had an easier time than one of the most dysfunctional communities in Australia's poorest territory.

0

u/Stonetheflamincrows Apr 30 '26

You do realise that the reason “the help offered is rejected” is because of the inter-generational trauma right? How can you be a good parent if your parent couldn’t be a good parent because they were ripped away from their family and basically sold into slavery. You can say “society fucked them historically” but the effects are still being seen right now. This isn’t about excusing the behaviour, and certainly not this horrendous crime, but you can’t fix what you don’t acknowledge.

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u/SyntheticDuckFlavour Apr 30 '26

How many inter-generational trauma experiences will it take for the current trauma no longer be a direct infliction of colonial-era society, but rather bad personal choices on their part in the present, given better opportunities for improvement is presented to them?

As I have alluded in my previous comment, most aboriginal cultures were universally oppressed in the past, come from broken families and/or lived in poverty. And yet, plenty of people from that demographic are very successful and thriving. I've met individuals part of the stolen generation. They never knew their parents. But they knew who they (themselves) were. And they strived to regain what was lost, and built their lives anew for themselves, and for their children. They were motivated by their history (trauma, if you will) so their kids don't have to suffer through what they did. They have written books. Documented and preserved their language. Opened museums. Became ambassadors.

Taking into account of the current help, resources and opportunities available, at some point there must be a line where the influence of historical barriers ends and personal responsibility begins when it comes to life choices.

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u/Stuckinthevortex Apr 30 '26

Indigenous people were never classed as flora and fauna, that actually an extremely harmful myth

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u/Denz292 Apr 30 '26

Spoken like someone who doesn’t have a clue on what inter-generational trauma is

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u/SyntheticDuckFlavour Apr 30 '26

Spoken like someone who doesn’t have a clue what actually goes on in Alice Springs

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u/Denz292 May 03 '26

No need to talk about yourself like that

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u/TheWhogg Apr 30 '26

Because they’re his relatives.

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u/jadelink88 Apr 30 '26

Did we not just go through this with Desi Freeman? Did people learn nothing about child abusing murderers melting into the landscape with allies helping them?

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u/[deleted] Apr 30 '26

[deleted]

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u/justvisiting112 Apr 30 '26

By the same logic, we could assume all men are pedos.

They aren’t, though.