The landmark domestic violence news that barely made the headlines this week.

Content warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the names of Indigenous people who have died.

This story also discusses domestic and family violence.

Kumanjayi Haywood was murdered by her former partner, who set their home on fire, trapping her inside. 

Ngeyo Ragurrk was murdered by her former partner, who viciously beat her to death. 

Miss Yunupingu was murdered by her former partner, stabbed to death. 

Kumarn Rubuntja was murdered by her partner, who ran her over with his car.

These four Indigenous women were at the centre of a landmark inquest into their deaths, presided over by Coroner Elisabeth Armitage, who spent a year investigating the domestic violence murders. 

Watch: Ariel Bombara speaks about living under abusive father. Article continues after the video.

All of the women had shared how they feared for their lives with authorities or loved ones in the weeks, months and years prior to their murders. 

All four perpetrators were known to police and had histories of family violence. 

Kumanjayi , Ngeyo, Miss Yunupingu and Kumarn are four of 82 Aboriginal women killed in domestic violence attacks since 2000. 

If their names aren't familiar to you, there's a reason for that — a reason Judge Armitage has called Australia's "national shame".

"... the deaths of Aboriginal women in the NT does not evoke the same reaction [as non-Aboriginal women interstate and] is indicative of systemic racism in the way their voices go unheard; the belief that these women are somehow less deserving of our grief, outrage and our collective response," she said.

Judge Armitage made the rare move of allowing television cameras into the courtroom to broadcast live as she handed down her findings and recommendations following the landmark inquest. 

Calling on the media to pay more attention to the rates of domestic violence in the Northern Territory, Armitage made 35 recommendations, calling for a significant funding boost to the sector — including for frontline emergency service responses and women's shelters.

The NT has Australia's highest rates of domestic and family violence, and a rate of intimate partner homicide seven times that of the national average.

Over the past decade, NT Police Force recorded a 117 per cent increase in the number of domestic violence related calls. 

Without radical change, they predicted a further 73 per cent increase over the next 10 years.

In the past five months, eight women from the Northern Territory have been killed in alleged domestic violence attacks.

"The grief and trauma across our communities flowing from this traumatic loss of life is inexhaustible," Judge Armitage said.

"This is not just an unfolding tragedy for those families most directly affected, it is an existing tragedy for our community."

Of the 82 women murdered since 2000, around 93 per cent were Aboriginal, with Aboriginal women 40 times more likely to be hospitalised for domestic violence.

The court also heard that up to 80 per cent of the NT police's entire workload related to DFV, accounting for more than 882,000 hours in one year. 

What were the recommendations?

Judge Armitage made 35 recommendations in total, including calling for a funding boost and the establishment of a NT peak body. 

"The absence of a peak representative organisation adversely affects the sector's ability to be strategic and well-organised, and impacts upon the government's ability to consult with and take advice from the sector," Judge Armitage said.

She also recommended the NT's health department and police force commit to fully rolling out specialist training for frontline workers, delivered by experts.

"Given the amount of time police spend dealing with domestic violence, this training is critical," Judge Armitage said.

The coroner also called for a planned trial of a co-response between police and domestic and family violence experts to be funded, highlighting the difference between Queensland's $229m funding for an equivalent program, compared to the NT's commitment of just $300,000.

"It is not radical."

Judge Armitage said her recommendations were not radical, but rather a reflection of what the sector had been calling for for years. 

"There is nothing radical about updating police training to ensure it reflects current knowledge and to ensure it adequately prepares recruits for their working life," she said.

"There is nothing new about a co-responder model, it is not radical. It is already used in the NT for mental health responses and for some sexual assault matters.

"There is absolutely nothing radical about a peak body for domestic and family violence … it is only the Northern Territory, which experiences the highest rates of domestic violence in the country, which does not have a peak body.

"None of [the recommendations] are new."

Judge Armitage also announced she would hold a second major inquiry into domestic family and sexual violence in August 2025, following a further eight alleged DV-related deaths in the past five months.

"It will provide an excellent opportunity to review progress of the implementation of these 35 recommendations," she said.

If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)—the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.

Mamamia is a charity partner of RizeUp Australia, a national organisation that helps women, children and families move on after the devastation of domestic and family violence. Their mission is to deliver life-changing and practical support to these families when they need it most. If you would like to support their mission you can donate here.

Feature image: Getty.