A parliamentary inquiry into the unsolved murders of three Aboriginal children more than 20 years ago, has recommended laws be reviewed to allow a retrial.
16-year-old Colleen Walker, 16-year-old Clinton Speedy and 4-year-old Evelyn Greenup disappeared from Bowraville on the mid north coast during 1990 and 1991.
Local man Jay Hart was charged with the murder of Clinton and Evelyn in 1991, but he was later acquitted of both charges.
In 2004, Mr Hart was charged a second time with Evelyn’s murder but was again acquitted.
Chair of the parliamentary committee, Liberal MP David Clarke, says he hopes the inquiry recommendations will bring the families one step closer to justice.
“We formally acknowledged the pain and suffering experienced by the families of the three children over the past 23 years,” he told state parliament.
“A pain and suffering that has been significantly contributed to by failings identified in our report.”
The committee also recommended New South Wales Police review all of its policies relating to Aboriginal people and that any new application for a retrial of the murders be considered by an independent assessor.