NSW to hold Bowraville murders inquiry

An inquiry will be held into the murders of three Aboriginal people from NSW more than 20 years ago. Source: AAP

AN inquiry will be held into the murders of three young Aboriginal people who disappeared from northern NSW more than 20 years ago.

The NSW upper house voted unanimously on Tuesday to hold the inquiry into the deaths of Colleen Walker, 16, Clinton Speedy, 16, and Evelyn Greenup, 4.

The trio disappeared from the Bowraville community over several months from 1990 to 1991.

In 1991, local man Jay Hart was charged with the murder of Clinton and Evelyn, but was acquitted of murdering Clinton in 1994.

Shortly afterwards prosecutors also dropped the charges relating to Evelyn.

After an inquest into her death in 2004, Mr Hart was once more charged with Evelyn's murder and then acquitted.

NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge, who put forward the motion calling for the inquiry, said it should go some way to acknowledging the pain and trauma the community of Bowraville and the families of the three young people have endured for the past 23 years.

"No inquiry and no court can bring these children back or end the hurt, but I do hope that this inquiry can show respect, and will listen to the families and make recommendations to help the community deal with their longstanding pain," he said on Tuesday.

The parliamentary standing committee on law and justice inquiry, expected to be held next year, will hear from the families of the three children and investigate the impact of the deaths on the community.

The committee would call for public submissions soon, Mr Shoebridge said.

It comes after members of the children's families rallied outside parliament last week calling on Attorney-General Greg Smith to reopen the cases and for a judicial inquiry.

Mr Smith had agreed to review the case in 2011, but in February this year announced his decision not to consider new charges.

Leonie Duroux, a sister-in-law of Clinton, and Muriel Walker, a relative of Colleen, watched the proceedings in parliament on Tuesday via a webcast.

The women shared a hug and "a few tears" when it became clear the inquiry would go ahead.

"We're really happy, we're over the moon," Ms Duroux told AAP.

Ms Duroux said the families had hoped for a review of retrial laws - though they accepted this was unlikely - or for Mr Smith to reverse his February decision.

"Maybe once they hear the stories, the attorney-general might do a backflip and say let it go to the Court of Criminal Appeal," she said.

"That would be a dream - that we could have our day in court."

But she said the opportunity for still-grieving relatives to speak out at last meant a lot.

"I couldn't even put into words what it means for the families to be able to have their say," Ms Duroux said.

"I believe that anyone who has a heart and listens to their stories (will not be able to) turn their back on them."

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