NORTHERN Territory police have lashed out at federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough over his criticisms of law and order in Aboriginal communities.
After harrowing accounts of rape, abuse, and violence in the communities re-emerged this week, Mr Brough called on the NT Government to boost policing.
He also called for tougher measures to stamp out alcohol abuse, and last night alleged on ABC Television that pedophile rings were operating in some communities.
But the NT Police Association has labelled Mr Brough's comments offensive and ignorant.
"Mr Brough claims that our members turn a blind eye to crime in Aboriginal communities," association president Vince Kelly said.
"That is the most ridiculous claim I have ever heard from a federal indigenous affairs minister."
Police often did not have the evidence to arrest suspects, Mr Kelly said.
"Our members are in the front-line 24 hours a day dealing with the human carnage in these communities.
"Our members work closely with these communities and have done for over 50 years.
"To suggest police turn a blind eye to crime in Aboriginal communities is nothing short of insulting.
"To suggest our members apply the law differently in Aboriginal communities is ignorant and displays an absolute lack of understanding of the operational realities our members face in isolated Aboriginal communities, often dealing with complex tribal systems," he said.
"I repeat, his comments were ignorant."
Federal government plans to beef up the police presence at airports would also transfer valuable resources away from policing in other areas, he said.
"Mr Brough also conveniently ignores the impact (of) federal government policy in areas such as airport policing, which will take experienced front-line police out of these remote communities."
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Australian media reports that a recently leaked Northern Territory police briefing paper exposes "shocking" cases of sexual abuse and violence against women and children in remote Australian Aboriginal communities.

Northern Territory, Australia
Central Australian Crown prosecutor, Dr Nannette Rogers, alleged a range of "dreadful" cases she has heard of. Her paper claims details of abuse (over a 15-year period), including the rape of a seven-month-old baby, and the sexual assault and drowning of a girl by an 18-year-old man. The report refers to a disturbingly abusive and secretive Indigenous male culture. She says a "web of kinship" has helped to create a "conspiracy of silence" and that Aboriginal communities were suffering from "tragedy fatigue," allowing horrific crimes to appear unremarkable. 

"It doesn't augur well for Aboriginal people to be functional human beings with the attributes of turning around and caring for children themselves," she said. "The child grows up seeing violence done to him or her and having violence done to him or her." 

 Tangentyere Council chief executive William Tilmouth says it is appalling behaviour. "It's a behaviour that's got to stop, it's behaviour that denigrates the family, as well as the women," he said.