Aurkurun school has re-opened on Monday, with extra security to be provided to staff, despite another violent attack over the weekend.
The recent assault on a school principal in the far north Queensland community led to teachers being flown out for a week.
But their return last Thursday was marred by an almost identical incident on Saturday night, where principal Scott Fatnowna and his wife were again victims of a carjacking.
The couple were allegedly threatened by three youths carrying machetes and knives.
No one was hurt, but the vehicle was stolen and taken on a joyride, before it became bogged on the outskirts of town.
The teachers and principal have voted to stay at the school, which will now operate under a new safety regime, endorsed by Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart.
Teachers will now be escorted by police and private security guards when needed.
Strong warning from police
Three teens have been charged over the latest incident, and the Northern Region Assistant Police Commissioner, Paul Taylor, has issued a strong warning to the families of the re-offending youths.
“What we're asking people to do is show love for their children every day, every night,” he says.
“Take an interest where the kids are overnight, take an interest in feeding the kids. And maybe the kids won’t engage in dangerous activities.”
Mr Taylor emphasised the need to work with the community and elders.
“Ultimately it’s the community that’s going to have the answers.”
“Some people think you can arrest your way out of these situations, we’re very mindful that the criminal justice system is over-represented by Indigenous males, in particular juvenile detention.”
“We’re striving towards diverting people away from criminal activities, to get them into activities that are productive.”
The latest carjacking comes as a high-level government delegation, including the Premier's own director-general, arrived in the town for talks with elders on Monday.
"Weak or non-existent" is how Noel Pearson has characterised the Qld government's response. Source: NITV News
Government response: ‘weak, non-existent’
Last week that Noel Pearson attempted to reach out to the Queensland government about violence in the Aurukun community in March this year.
In a letter addressed to the Queensland Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Curtis Pitt, he labels the response by the state government so far as ‘either weak or non-existent.’
A recent video on YouTube from the community also shows police standing by as young women fight in the streets of Aurukun.
Elder Phyllis Yunkaporta told the ABC that she wants the police to step in earlier to quell the violence.
“We want the police to take action right there and then,” she said.
