An Indigenous elder led a welcome-to-country ceremony at an AFL match just days before pleading guilty to violently attacking his partner with an Aboriginal foraging tool in a fit of alcohol-fueled rage.
Lhere Artepe Aboriginal Corporation president and Tangentyere Council director Benedict Stevens was given a six-month suspended sentence in June after hitting his partner on the head at an Alice Springs home in April.
While Mr Stevens offered to resign as Aboriginal liaison officer at Alice Springs Hospital, he retained his position on the Tangentyere Council, which addresses community issues such as domestic violence.
The shocking revelations emerged after Stevens met Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro last Thursday, following a massive rise in violent crime in the outback city.
It is understood Ms Finocchiaro was not aware of Mr Stevens’ violent past when she met him.
A statement of facts, seen by The AustralianHe highlighted that Mr Stevens had been drinking with his partner, his daughter’s associates and other family members on the afternoon of April 19.
He left the suburban house and returned around 10:30 p.m.
Stevens pleaded guilty to entering the house and recovering a stick, understood to be a black and pink digging stick traditionally used by Aboriginal women.
Benedict Stevens (left) led a pre-match welcome-to-country ceremony at an AFL game in Alice Springs days before pleading guilty to attacking his teammate with a stick.
He pointed the stick at his head, hitting his eyebrow and leaving a large laceration about 6cm long and 5cm wide.
Stevens performed Welcome to Country for a televised AFL match between the Melbourne Demons and Fremantle Dockers in Alice Springs the week before pleading guilty.
He remains one of the 14 directors of the Tangentyere Council and has defended his position, saying it has “changed” since the attack.
“I also said to myself: ‘What the hell are you doing, Mr Stevens? You are the TO (traditional owner) of this town, of Alice Springs. Why give them a bad example? You should lead the way, show respect to women,’ he told the Australian.
However, Mr Stevens’ position of power, particularly in relation to domestic violence, has sparked outrage among many locals.
“Why is someone with serious domestic violence convictions at the top of the food chain when the (police) commissioner and the Chief Minister are talking about domestic violence in the city?” said one.
Another said: “The Territory cannot have domestic violence offenders as leaders, we are laughing stocks.”
Stevens defended his position as director of the Tangentyere Council, which deals with community issues including domestic violence.
Last year, the federal government committed $2 million to the ‘Women’s Voices’ campaign led by the Tangentyere Council.
The government has also set aside $1.25 million over the past two years for family and domestic violence support.
Stevens insists he is using his position on the Tangentyere Council to steer people away from alcohol, which he blamed for the “accidental” attack in April.
‘If you drink alcohol, the alcohol causes that problem. “It’s all about the alcohol… if you stay out of it, you’ll have a good life,” he said.
He added that he is “steering away from alcohol” and hopes to use his story to dissuade other men from following the same path.”
Stevens met with Finocchiaro along with the Lhere Artepe Aboriginal Corporation last Thursday, as part of their response to rising crime in the city.
There were reportedly “high-level” discussions about ways to combat the rise in violence, but neither side made any funding commitments.
Northern Territory Police have deployed extra officers from Darwin to Alice Springs after a two-month-old baby was flown to an Adelaide hospital with a brain bleed and a skull fracture.
The baby allegedly suffered serious injuries during an alleged home invasion.
Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said violent crime, including sexual assaults, kidnappings and robberies, had increased since December 3.
Other recent allegations included a woman being raped in her own bed while a 57-year-old man was allegedly threatened by a gang of teenagers armed with a tomahawk until he gave them a bottle of whisky.
Stevens met Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro (pictured) last week as part of her trip in response to rising violent crime in Alice Springs, despite having a violent history.
Ms Finocchiaro’s two-day trip to Alice Springs was cut short.
NT opposition leader Selena Uibo said not enough was done to prepare for the “predictable” rise in crime.
‘It is extremely worrying that there has been a shocking surge in violent crime in Katherine over the weekend, with reports that only one police unit in a town of 10,000 people was able to respond. “This is simply not enough,” he said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Finocchiaro’s office for comment.