‘Look, sorry. That just reminds me why I became a copper. Ya see, I never got to kick a footy with me old man, cos me old man was dead. Most of me family died young. And they didn’t just die – they were killed by whitefellas. Whitefellas who then got off scot-free. Like the bloke who stabbed Jimmy Dingo.’

The mention of Dingo’s name seemed to suck the air from the party.

Refilling his stein, Sparrow detailed the ritualistic, coldblooded killing of his kin in retribution for such transgressions as ‘bashing a whitefella’ or ‘sleeping with a white woman’ or ‘spearing a milking cow’ or simply ‘being Aboriginal’.

‘Coppers didn’t treat the deaths seriously,’ he said. ‘Bastards turned a blind eye. Dingo was the worst, though, cos the cops bloody blamed us. They wouldn’t listen when we said it wasn’t our tribal punishment.’

Rex scoffed. ‘What crap. I know the events you’re talking about, and they were a hundred and fifty years ago.’

‘No,’ said Sparrow firmly, angrily. ‘This was less than fifty years ago, one generation, especially Dingo.’

‘No it bloody wasn’t —’

‘So, Detective,’ said Vera, ‘there’s good news, I hear.’

Manolis sat forward with interest. ‘What’s that?’

Her lips formed a tight smile. ‘A likely arrest. One of those reffos up at the brown house. We’re so very, very relieved. Patrick would be too.’

The detective stiffened, feeling wary. ‘An arrest? Who told you that?’

There was a nervy pause as glances volleyed around the table. Manolis had reminded his deputies on several occasions that their work was confidential, that there was to be no gossip.

It was Rex’s soothing voice that finally restored calm. ‘Everyone in town knows,’ he said coolly. ‘It’s all anyone’s talking about. I just hope the bloke’s in a secure part of the complex in case a lynch mob turns up.’

‘Boat people who arrive without paperwork should be sent home without hesitation, end of story,’ Vera spat. ‘And particularly if they’re caught destroying documents. It looks as if they’ve got something to hide.’

Manolis coughed, cleared his throat. ‘I actually think you’ll find that many “irregular maritime arrivals” are threatened with death if they don’t hand their passports over.’

Rex extended an index finger. ‘Don’t tell me about the hard time you’ve had, sonny boy,’ he said to an invisible new arrival. ‘The first thing you’ve shown me is that you have no respect for the laws of this great land. Why should we let you in? End of story.’

Manolis said that people who suddenly fled their countries were likely unable to gather the means to establish their identities.

Holding up his wallet, Rex said, ‘What, they can’t pick up one of these before they leave the house?’

Sparrow moaned and drank more beer.