An inquiry examining the case of serial killer Ivan Milat has heard sharp criticism from families seeking answers about their loved ones. They presented very serious details to the inquiry, criticising the Australian Federal Police for holding back evidence that they had repeatedly requested. The families also called for better work from police to provide answers around their cases. Their testimony placed the focus on how authorities have handled both the Milat crimes and other related cases.
The inquiry is being led by a chair who holds firm views about the scale of Milat's crimes. The chair, Jeremy Buckingham, firmly believes Milat is responsible for more deaths than the seven he was found guilty of. That belief has shaped the direction of the inquiry and its willingness to look beyond the established convictions. It also frames the wider search for answers that families have been pursuing for years.
As part of its work, the committee decided to travel to the site most closely associated with the case. It visited the Belanglo State Forest, which is around half an hour from where the inquiry is being held. Buckingham wanted the committee itself to visit the memorial to the families, and he took members out there. The decision was intended to bring the reality of the crimes directly before those conducting the inquiry.
Those who took part described the visit as deeply affecting. Buckingham said it had a real visceral impact on all the committee members. He said it was harrowing to go out there with the person who discovered the bodies back in 1993, and to be walked through what was one of the most egregious crimes in Australian history. He added that the experience had an impact on him and on other committee members.
The inquiry, however, is not focused on Milat alone. It is also bringing into focus other long-unsolved cases that have troubled families for decades. Among them is the case of Cheryl Grimmer, who disappeared from Fairy Meadow Beach in 1970. By including such cases, the inquiry is widening its examination of how police have dealt with unresolved disappearances and deaths.
For the Grimmer family, the inquiry offered a long-awaited chance to be heard. Cheryl's older brothers, Ricki Nash and Paul Grimmer, sat side by side in front of the inquiry, something they had wanted to do for a long time. They sought to draw more attention to the case and to raise the serious questions they have about how it was handled by police in the initial investigation, later, and even now through the courts. Their joint appearance underlined how long the family has waited for answers.
One detail in particular was at the centre of the family's concerns. Ricki wanted to draw attention to how, a year after Cheryl disappeared, a 17-year-old made a full confession with great detail about how he abducted and murdered the toddler. It was a really difficult testimony for Ricki, who broke down several times during the hearing. The family is calling for transparency, and for the mistakes that police made in the investigation to be presented to them so they can try to piece together more information.