Police Minister Brent Potter says “racism or discrimination in any form will not be tolerated” with an investigation launched following explosive revelations by Zach Rolfe at the inquiry into the death of Kumanjayi Walker of a widespread culture of racism in the NT Police force, that included high-ranking officers engaging in racist conduct and lying to the coronial inquest.

The revelations were so damning high-priced lawyer Ian Freckleton, who represents the police executive at the hearings, moved for an immediate suppression order over the naming of one high-ranking executive member that Mr Rolfe alleged had been kicked out of a Chinese restaurant for being abusive and racist to staff.

In a press conference on Tuesday morning, alongside Police Commissioner Michael Murphy, Mr Potter said an investigation has been launched into the allegations, led by Deputy Police Commissioner Martin Dole and “other agencies” which remained unspecified.

“You’re always troubled when you hear racism comments, and comments that are derogatory, because they have no place in this organisation or any department,” he said. “Ultimately [the accusations were] made in the coronial court and we need to let it run its course and we need to let the investigation be completed before we make any outcomes or [take] actions.

“I don’t accept racism in any organisation, especially one that serves the frontline of the community. No one should be racist in their remarks or discriminatory.”

Mr Rolfe alleged during the first day of his testimony at the inquest on Monday that the NT Police’s elite TRG unit held a “coon of the year” award ceremony that included the “winner” presented a caveman club with nails in it for the officer who best exhibited “coon-like behaviour”.

He also stated that the culture of NT Police permitted offensive racist terms for Aboriginal people to be used regularly and that he heard it every day at the station. That included Alice Springs police referring to a section of the Todd Tavern as “the animal bar” because Indigenous people drank there.

However, he said, the racism was not confined to Alice Springs, alleging that many TRG members involved in the racist award ceremony had “gone on to have high-ranking positions in the police force”.

Mr Murphy said on Tuesday that he was not aware of the racist TRG awards and that he does “not condone [racism] at all and we’re doing everything we can to stamp that out”.

“Any discrimination or racism, absolutely not acceptable in the workplace, in the community,” he said.

“[We] obviously respect the coronial process currently underway and anything that was raised yesterday, inquiries will be undertaken and there’ll be some further information provided to the court in due course.”

Mr Murphy said the investigation would involve “a level of independence” and that may include the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption.

“I was not aware of the TRG awards,” he said. “As I said, there needs to be an inquiry undertaken now, search for the truth to find out exactly what basis, if any, of the assertions made yesterday in the court are true or not.”

Mr Murphy was then asked if the senior officer involved in the Chinese restaurant incident would be investigated or resign.

“It’ll be the exact same,” he said. “It’ll be an inquiry undertaken, and the search on the basis of what’s actually occurred and the report will go back to the Coroner.”

Asked if he had ever used racist language or sent racist texts, Mr Murphy responded: “No, I haven’t.”

Coroner Elisabeth Armitage issued a suppression order on the names of those Mr Rolfe accused of partaking in racist activities and the court compelled him to write a list of all those involved that Mr Freckleton said would be used for the investigation.

Mr Potter said he had full confidence in Mr Murphy.

Mr Rolfe also stated under oath on Monday that upon informing Assistant Commissioner Sachin Sharma that he had “forgot” to include on his police application that he had faced charges over a fight in Townsville while in the military, Mr Sharma said “you’ll fit in here”.

Mr Murphy said Mr Sharma’s response would also form part of the investigation.