2005 Macquarie Fields riots

The Macquarie Fields riots were a series of disturbances across southwest Sydney in February 2005 which was referred to as a riot by both the Parliament of New South Wales and the media.

The riots were sparked after a high speed Police pursuit on February 25 throughout the Glenquarie housing estate in the Sydney western suburb of Macquarie Fields. The chase resulted in the driver, 20-year-old Jesse Kelly crashing the stolen vehicle into a tree and killing his two passengers, 17-year-old Dylan Raywood and 19-year-old Matthew Robertson. The trio had been under electronic surveillance for several days beforehand. [ [http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/stat-m09.shtml] "Australia: Macquarie Fields: the political issues" - Statement by the Socialist Equality Party Australia 9 March 2005] Certain circumstances around the riots including the fatal police pursuit in a low-income area were a repeat of the riots that took place in Redfern, New South Wales during the previous year. [ [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/HansArt.nsf/V3Key/LA20050301022] "Matter of Public Importance" - Parliament of New South Wales]

The double fatality sparked protests and accusations against the police by the suburbs predominantly white working class residents. They were told by Jessie Kelly's aunt Deborah that police rammed the car prior to the crash. Reluctant at first, Jesse eventually adopted the false story. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Fugitive-Jesse-Kelly-arrested/2005/03/10/1110316100128.html] "Fugitive Jesse Kelly arrested" - Sydney Morning Herald, March 10, 2005]

The response of the New South Wales state Labor government was Premier Bob Carr mobilising hundreds of police, including heavily-armed riot squads. The violence which followed lasted for four nights, involving at least 300 residents clashing with New South Wales Police. The rioters hurled rocks, bottles, bricks, petrol bombs, and set cars alight, injuring several police. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1312287.htm] "Riots break out in Macquarie Fields" - Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 28 February , 2005] By comparative standards, NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney referred to the riot as little more than a "disturbance" citing Los Angeles Police Department chief Bill Bratton who was visiting Australia at the time. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Moroney-defends-himself-and-Macquarie-Fields-response/2005/03/13/1110649053131.html] "Moroney defends himself and Macquarie Fields response" - Sydney Morning Herald, March 13th 2005] Nine months later during a Parliamentary inquiry, Mr Moroney stated that the violence during the incident was not a riot when compared to incidents in Los Angeles or Paris, referring to the distinction between disturbance and riot as defined by New York police chief Bill Bratten. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/macquarie-fields-not-a-riot/2005/12/05/1133631187742.html] "Macquarie Fields 'not a riot'" - Sydney Morning Herald, December 5, 2005]

The police were criticised at the time for not acting to quell the disturbances quickly enough, with some arguing the riots could have been ended in their first day had a more aggressive stance been adopted. The so-called 'soft' approach by police was put down to downsizing and a lack of training within the NSW Police Force that inhibited their ability to contain the ringleaders effectively. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Moroney-defends-himself-and-Macquarie-Fields-response/2005/03/13/1110649053131.html] "Moroney defends himself and Macquarie Fields response" - Sydney Morning Herald, March 13th 2005] The police eventually made 55 arrests, including that of Jesse Kelly, who had fled the scene of the fatal car crash which preceded the riots.

The suburb of Macquarie Fields suffered from a high rate of unemployment rate of 11.3 percent, more than twice the National average. [ [http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/viewcontent?readform&view=ProductsbyTopic&Action=expandwithheader&Num=1#Economy] Australian Bureau of Statistics] Of its 4,600 homes, 1,500 are housing commission projects and home to low-income and disadvantaged families. Criticisms have been made about this controversial cul de sac style urban planning that left many residents with very little privacy.

In October 2007, Jesse Kelly was formally charged after admitting two counts of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death and was sentenced to 5 years jail. [ [http://au.news.yahoo.com/061013/23/10wk5.html] "Jesse Kelly says, 'I run from the police'" - AAP, October 16, 2007 01:26pm] In the same month a coronial inquiry officially cleared New South Wales Police of any responsibility for the riot. His aunt Deborah Kelly, who started the rumors that sparked the riots [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/a-road-to-nowhere-but-death-and-jail/2007/10/16/1192300769122.html] "A road to nowhere but death and jail" - Sydney Morning Herald, October 17, 2007] was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice and with concealing a serious indictable offense. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Fugitive-Jesse-Kelly-arrested/2005/03/10/1110316100128.html] "Fugitive Jesse Kelly arrested" - Sydney Morning Herald, March 10, 2005]

References

ee also

* 2004 Redfern riots
* List of riots