Huge Offer in Hunt for Missing Persons in Western Australia
Western Australia offers a $500,000 reward for information on missing persons, aiming to solve long-standing cases and support affected families
Western Australia, Missing Persons, Paul Papalia, Wesley Lockyer, Indigenous Men
Western Australia: The state is stepping up its efforts to find missing persons by offering a whopping $500,000 reward. This is a big deal since it’s the first time they’ve done something like this for cases that go back over 70 years.
Police Minister Paul Papalia announced this new reward scheme, saying it’s all about helping families who have been through so much pain and uncertainty. He really wants to encourage anyone with information to come forward.
Right now, there are 361 long-term missing persons cases in WA. These are folks who haven’t been seen for at least 90 days, and there’s no sign of foul play. The plan is to kick off this reward program in early January, along with a new website dedicated to missing persons.
Every year, police in Australia get around 38,000 missing persons reports, but most of those people are found pretty quickly. Still, about 2,600 individuals are still unaccounted for, which is a lot.
Mr. Papalia made it clear that this new reward is separate from the $1 million that’s already on the table for some historical homicide cases. He emphasized that the government is committed to helping families find answers.
Recently, there’s been a lot of focus on the disappearances of six Indigenous men from northern WA. Families of these men even gathered outside Parliament House to raise awareness about their cases.
One of those missing is Wesley Lockyer, who has been gone for almost two years. His mother, Joanne Taylor, expressed her frustration, saying it’s hard to believe someone can just vanish without a trace.
After months of waiting, Wesley’s case seems to have been put on the back burner, which has left his family feeling neglected. WA member for the Kimberley, Divina D’Anna, said the government is determined to give the police the tools they need to find answers for these families.