Aurukun keen to 'move on' after riots. 11/01/2007. ABC News Online

Queensland's Communities Minister Warren Pitt says Aurukun residents have indicated they are keen to move on after this week's riots.

Three hundred people went on a rampage in the Cape York Aboriginal community after a local man claimed he had been assaulted in custody.

The State Government says it appears his injuries happened before he was arrested but formal investigations are under way.

Mr Pitt may visit Aurukun early next week, if the Mayor agrees. In the meantime, a senior officer from his department is there.

"She will be working with other Government departments, the justice group, community elders, police and the council to sit down and work out what the community can do now to help move itself forward after this," he said.

Mr Pitt says, until this week, the town has been calm for 10 years.

"It's in many ways a model community in that it kicked so many goals, regarding school attendance, assaults down, domestic violence down, a whole range of things," he said.

"For this to occur, I'm determined to make sure this doesn't put that progress back."

Cairns acting Superintendent Katarina Carroll says even though tensions have eased in the town, an extra 40 police officers will stay on the ground for the time being.

"We've got a duty to carry out, you know we're duty-bound to do our work basically, being reticent or not doesn't really come in to it," she said.

"We do our work whether it be that case or not, so I don't believe that people will be reticent.

"If they do their work properly and according to our policy and processes we shouldn't have an issue with that."