WA Police have been slammed for their failure to appear before a Senate inquiry into missing and murdered First Nations women, despite repeated invitations and a request the WA Police Minister intervene to force them to attend.

WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find distressing.

Senators, who were in Perth today to probe the handling of Indigenous family violence in the state, described WA Police’s decision as ‘absolute disrespect’ and said they were ‘not above scrutiny’.

One of the incidents aired at today’s hearing relates to the initial police response to one of the state’s most shocking domestic violence crimes in recent history – that of baby Charlie Mullaley.

Charlie was 10 months old when he was abducted, tortured and ultimately murdered by his mother’s abusive de facto partner Mervyn Bell in 2013.

Charlie’s mother Tamica Mullaley had been arrested after being beaten by Bell and left bleeding, naked and distressed on the side of a road in Broome.

Despite her father’s plea for police to allow Ms Mullaley to take her baby with her, officers refused, and Bell returned and abducted the baby, discarding his body 15 hours later near a roadhouse 900 kilometres away.

Committee member Dorinda Cox said WA Police’s failure to attend today’s inquiry in person was a disservice to the families of those impacted by violence and the “unacceptable … responses in relation to the way WA Police had handled their business”.

“We do consider this an absolute disrespect for West Australian police to not show up for families today to answer the questions that they have around why they didn’t receive an adequate response or service in relation to their family member,” she said.

Questions left unanswered

On the official rundown WA Police were listed to give evidence at 9am AWST, but no one arrived, leaving four Senators waiting for close to an hour.

Inquiry chair Senator Paul Scarr said WA Police’s failure to show up was “greatly disappointing”.

He said they had written to WA Police twice requesting they appear, but the agency declined, despite being offered the opportunity to give evidence behind closed doors.

Senator Paul Scarr said they justified their refusal to appear by referring to other agencies that acted as checks and balances on the delivery of their duties.

The inquiry then wrote to WA Minister Paul Papalia asking him to direct the agency to attend.

The Minister has been contacted for comment.

Senator Scarr said the inquiry would be in Perth all day, and he hoped police would reconsider their position and attend.

“We stand ready, willing and able to accommodate the WA Police to attend this committee hearing,” he said.

He said in their first hearing in New South Wales, that state’s police force had attended in person and answered questions which was important to their understanding, that they had hoped to bring to the WA Police force’s response.

“We want to ask police about changes in practices and procedures that may have been implemented that would address the harrowing and disturbing evidence that we heard earlier in the year from families directly impacted by tragedy,” Senator Scarr said.

“It was greatly disappointing they have taken the position they have taken.”

WA Police write to inquiry

A spokesman for WA Police said they had made a written statement to the committee, but did not elaborate on why they did not attend in person.

Their submission outlines steps they have taken since 2013 when baby Charlie was abducted – including the establishment of a Family Violence division and an Aboriginal Police Advisory Forum.

WA Police say major changes have taken place that have improved outcomes and built trusting relationships with Aboriginal people.

Speaking on ABC Radio Perth on Wednesday morning, Police Commissioner Col Blanch said police had done a “massive” amount of work on how it deals with domestic violence situations.

“It is night and day from Baby Charlie’s tragedy about the way we deal with domestic violence today,” he said.

“We’re not always going to get it right — we go to 60,000 calls a year of domestic violence. We also have 70,000 calls of welfare checks and often they are also domestic violence related. 

“I think the most important change for us has been a mandatory requirement to use body worn camera on every interaction with in a family domestic violence situation. So it is open for transparency, scrutiny.”

The Crime and Corruption Commission attended and gave evidence this morning to the inquiry, with the Department of Public Prosecution, legal services, the national Justice Project and academic Associate Professor Hannah McGlade slated to give evidence today.