The Times Australia
The Times News

.

First Nations kids make up about 20% of missing children, but get a fraction of the media coverage

  • Written by Silke Meyer, Associate Professor in Crimninology; Deputy Dircetor Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre, Monash University

In Australia, on average, 48 young people under the age of 18 go missing every day[1].

While First Nations young people make up less than 6%[2] of the Australian population under the age of 18, they comprise around 20% of missing children[3].

In reality, this rate is likely higher, with information on cultural identity often missing in national missing persons data[4].

Despite this over-representation in missing person cases, these cases rarely make national, let alone international, headlines.

News coverage of police and community coming together to solve the disappearances and deaths of white children, however, frequently make the front pages and capture the nation. We have been reminded of this again in recent weeks.

Read more: The discovery of Indigenous children's bodies in Canada is horrific, but Australia has similar tragedies it's yet to reckon with[5]

The silence on missing First Nations children

The disappearance of William Tyrrell[6] garnered national attention in 2014, and is dominating the news[7] once again at the moment.

The recent disappearance of Cleo Smith[8] in Western Australia also dominated news coverage for weeks. Cleo was found alive[9] after 18 days of dedicated police work and media coverage, the offering of a $1 million reward and over a thousand community calls to Crime Stoppers. These are ideal responses to missing children reports.

Eight years earlier, 10-month-old First Nations boy Charles Mullaley was abducted and killed in Western Australia. He is affectionately known as “Baby Charlie”. His abduction and his family’s journey for justice have received very little police commitment[10]. The family is still waiting[11] for the government’s commitment to a public inquest.

The Bowraville murders[12] of three First Nations children received the same lack of urgency in media coverage and police response. The Bowraville case has remained unsolved since 1991.

This raises the question, has anything changed in the last 30 years?

It should not be the responsibility of a grieving family to seek justice and answers when law enforcement fails. It is a community and government responsibility to award the same attention, empathy and mobilisation of resources to bring home all missing children, or at the very least bring closure to their families, regardless of their cultural identity.

First Nations children are also over-represented[13] in assault and homicide cases in Australia, along with suicides. Yet, these also rarely make headlines or generate public outcry.

Missing women also receive little attention

Like children, First Nations women are far more likely to experience violence-related injuries and deaths[14] than non-Indigenous women.

First Nations women are also over-represented in missing persons statistics[15], yet their disappearances receive little media attention compared to the disappearances and deaths of white women. This discrepancy was coined the “missing white woman syndrome[16]” by American journalist Gwen Ifill in 2004.

This phenomenon has repeatedly been raised as an issue requiring national attention in Australia[17], Canada[18], and the United States[19].

Read more: We just Black matter: Australia's indifference to Aboriginal lives and land[20]

A bigger social problem at hand

All of this points to a persistent, broader societal problem of who is perceived to be an ideal victim[21].

Police, media and community responses frequently reinforce[22] negative stereotypes[23] of First Nations peoples.

For example, the media occasionally cover community unrest[24] arising from lack of justice for missing or killed First Nations children. This further fuels negative stereotypes of Indigenous people as unruly. However, there remains a lack of coverage about the missing children themselves, which would provide context for why community unrest happens to begin with.

A person stands with an Aboriginal flag and a picture of Elijah Doughty outside the supreme court.
A protest over the death of 14-year-old Elijah Doughty in Kalgoorlie outside the Supreme Court. David Moir/AAP[25]

The stereotypical representation of First Nations people as the “ideal offender”, rather than the “ideal victim”, also creates a lack of empathy for victims of violence. This is particularly true for those with complex issues[26], including mental health problems, being intoxicated at the time of police contact, or being known to authorities for past police or child protection contact.

As a result, their experiences are “othered[27]” and their credibility as a victim or family worthy of empathy and support is diminished[28].

Their interactions with police are frequently met with disbelief or blame for causing the situation[29], such as when seeking help for family violence and other welfare concerns.

This means their calls for help to police are at times dismissed, as was experienced first-hand by Baby Charlie’s family[30] when WA police did not assist with ensuring his safety. Advocates have raised other examples[31] of missing First Nations children being dismissed by police or police refusing to intervene

Instead, First Nations communities often have to be the ones to call for justice[32], as has been done with this petition[33] calling for an inquest and investigation into Baby Charlie’s death.

Read more: Cleo Smith has been gone almost a week. Why missing children cases grip the nation[34]

What needs to happen?

It is time for an independent national inquiry similar to the one launched into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada[35].

It is time for Australia to treat the disappearances and deaths of First Nations children (and adults) with the same priority and urgency we see for cases involving white children.

The first step towards greater equality and humanity in the treatment of First Nations deaths and disappearances – by the media, police and general public - is to address our subconscious and actual biases around who is an ideal victim worthy of our attention.

We need to stop othering the experiences of First Nations people and families. Only then will we ensure that Black lives matter – not just the lives of those who manage to present well during times of crises.

References

  1. ^ go missing every day (www.afp.gov.au)
  2. ^ less than 6% (www.aihw.gov.au)
  3. ^ 20% of missing children (www.abc.net.au)
  4. ^ missing persons data (www.missingpersons.gov.au)
  5. ^ The discovery of Indigenous children's bodies in Canada is horrific, but Australia has similar tragedies it's yet to reckon with (theconversation.com)
  6. ^ William Tyrrell (en.wikipedia.org)
  7. ^ the news (www.google.com)
  8. ^ disappearance of Cleo Smith (www.abc.net.au)
  9. ^ found alive (inqld.com.au)
  10. ^ police commitment (www.news.com.au)
  11. ^ still waiting (thewest.com.au)
  12. ^ Bowraville murders (www.sbs.com.au)
  13. ^ over-represented (www.aihw.gov.au)
  14. ^ violence-related injuries and deaths (theconversation.com)
  15. ^ missing persons statistics (www.abc.net.au)
  16. ^ missing white woman syndrome (www.theguardian.com)
  17. ^ Australia (www.abc.net.au)
  18. ^ Canada (www5.austlii.edu.au)
  19. ^ United States (www.mercurynews.com)
  20. ^ We just Black matter: Australia's indifference to Aboriginal lives and land (theconversation.com)
  21. ^ ideal victim (journals.sagepub.com)
  22. ^ reinforce (www.theguardian.com)
  23. ^ negative stereotypes (ir.lib.uwo.ca)
  24. ^ community unrest (www.perthnow.com.au)
  25. ^ David Moir/AAP (photos.aap.com.au)
  26. ^ complex issues (oxfordre.com)
  27. ^ othered (junkee.com)
  28. ^ diminished (www.deathscapes.org)
  29. ^ disbelief or blame for causing the situation (womenslegal.org.au)
  30. ^ Baby Charlie’s family (www.news.com.au)
  31. ^ examples (www.theguardian.com)
  32. ^ call for justice (www.theguardian.com)
  33. ^ this petition (www.change.org)
  34. ^ Cleo Smith has been gone almost a week. Why missing children cases grip the nation (theconversation.com)
  35. ^ Canada (www5.austlii.edu.au)

Read more https://theconversation.com/first-nations-kids-make-up-about-20-of-missing-children-but-get-a-fraction-of-the-media-coverage-171666

Times Magazine

Building an AI-First Culture in Your Company

AI isn't just something to think about anymore - it's becoming part of how we live and work, whether we like it or not. At the office, it definitely helps us move faster. But here's the thing: just using tools like ChatGPT or plugging AI into your wo...

Data Management Isn't Just About Tech—Here’s Why It’s a Human Problem Too

Photo by Kevin Kuby Manuel O. Diaz Jr.We live in a world drowning in data. Every click, swipe, medical scan, and financial transaction generates information, so much that managing it all has become one of the biggest challenges of our digital age. Bu...

Headless CMS in Digital Twins and 3D Product Experiences

Image by freepik As the metaverse becomes more advanced and accessible, it's clear that multiple sectors will use digital twins and 3D product experiences to visualize, connect, and streamline efforts better. A digital twin is a virtual replica of ...

The Decline of Hyper-Casual: How Mid-Core Mobile Games Took Over in 2025

In recent years, the mobile gaming landscape has undergone a significant transformation, with mid-core mobile games emerging as the dominant force in app stores by 2025. This shift is underpinned by changing user habits and evolving monetization tr...

Understanding ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 Project Management Synergy

Key Highlights ITIL 4 focuses on IT service management, emphasising continual improvement and value creation through modern digital transformation approaches. PRINCE2 project management supports systematic planning and execution of projects wit...

What AI Adoption Means for the Future of Workplace Risk Management

Image by freepik As industrial operations become more complex and fast-paced, the risks faced by workers and employers alike continue to grow. Traditional safety models—reliant on manual oversight, reactive investigations, and standardised checklist...

The Times Features

Is our mental health determined by where we live – or is it the other way round? New research sheds more light

Ever felt like where you live is having an impact on your mental health? Turns out, you’re not imagining things. Our new analysis[1] of eight years of data from the New Zeal...

Going Off the Beaten Path? Here's How to Power Up Without the Grid

There’s something incredibly freeing about heading off the beaten path. No traffic, no crowded campsites, no glowing screens in every direction — just you, the landscape, and the...

West HQ is bringing in a season of culinary celebration this July

Western Sydney’s leading entertainment and lifestyle precinct is bringing the fire this July and not just in the kitchen. From $29 lobster feasts and award-winning Asian banque...

What Endo Took and What It Gave Me

From pain to purpose: how one woman turned endometriosis into a movement After years of misdiagnosis, hormone chaos, and major surgery, Jo Barry was done being dismissed. What beg...

Why Parents Must Break the Silence on Money and Start Teaching Financial Skills at Home

Australia’s financial literacy rates are in decline, and our kids are paying the price. Certified Money Coach and Financial Educator Sandra McGuire, who has over 20 years’ exp...

Australia’s Grill’d Transforms Operations with Qlik

Boosting Burgers and Business Clean, connected data powers real-time insights, smarter staffing, and standout customer experiences Sydney, Australia, 14 July 2025 – Qlik®, a g...