Mother asks politicians not to politicize death of 5-year-old girl

The mother of Kumanjayi Little Baby, a five-year-old Warlpiri girl who died in Alice Springs last month, has asked politicians not to use her daughter’s death for political purposes. The request was delivered in a statement read on Tuesday by Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy during a condolence motion in the Australian Senate. The child’s mother was not named in the statement.

A 47-year-old man has been charged with the girl’s alleged murder and two other offences that cannot be disclosed for legal reasons. The family has repeatedly requested privacy while they conduct sorry business, officials said.

In the statement, the mother described her grief and asked that her child’s short life not be invoked “for reasons that do not honour and respect my baby girl.” McCarthy, who joined community volunteers in the search for the child, also paid tribute to Kumanjayi Little Baby and her family during the Senate motion.

Inquiry calls put spotlight on Alice Springs town camps

In the wake of the child’s death, the Northern Territory government announced plans for an inquiry into the child protection system. Separately, conservative politicians, including former prime minister Tony Abbott, called for an inquiry into conditions in Alice Springs town camps and Indigenous-owned public housing.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament the child was “profoundly and deeply loved” by her family, and said her death had “shattered a family and shaken a community.” Albanese said governments “of all persuasions” over generations had not done enough to address “generational challenges.”

Senators clash over reform debate during condolence motion

During the Senate debate, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, a Warlpiri woman and relative of the child, said she was frustrated by what she called “entrenched dysfunction” in town camps and longstanding failures in child protection. Price said she felt an obligation to seek justice in her niece’s honour.

Independent Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe echoed the family’s request that the death not be politicised, saying she had seen “damaging commentary and calls for reform” that could further harm Indigenous communities. Thorpe urged lawmakers to respect the family’s mourning period.

In a separate joint statement, Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Sue-Anne Hunter and NT Children’s Commissioner Shahleena Musk called for the Northern Territory to immediately halt proposed child protection reforms. They said any inquiry should be community-led.

Officials have not announced a timeline for any inquiry, and the criminal case remains before the courts. The family’s request, delivered in parliament, adds pressure on political leaders to balance public debate about child protection with the community’s mourning and privacy.