Gunner government’s new laws will pipeline more children into NT prisons

The Human Rights Law Centre has today slammed punitive new laws set to be introduced by the Gunner government in the Northern Territory this week.

The proposed laws will see the number of children behind bars soar in the Northern Territory by making it harder for children to get bail in certain cases, restricting access to diversion opportunities and expanding police powers to shackle children with electronic tracking devices.

The harsh measures fly in the face of the recommendations made by the Don Dale Royal Commission and represent a backflip by the Gunner government, who previously accepted all the recommendations made by the Royal Commission in principle.

The dangerous laws will result in more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children being funnelled into youth prisons in the Northern Territory, where the children behind bars are too often all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Meena Singh, Legal Director at the Human Rights Law Centre, said:

“These heavy-handed laws – driven by turbo-charged ‘tough on crime’ politics – are doomed to fail and will only serve to harm the most marginalised children who get caught in the claws of the Northern Territory’s criminal legal system.

“This is the same government which previously accepted the recommendations made by the Don Dale Royal Commission, and is now back flipping by proposing laws that will drastically increase the rate at which children are funnelled into prisons like Don Dale.

“Instead of enacting laws that will only serve to entrench Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the prison system, the Gunner government should reconsider these reforms and invest in evidence-based solutions that will actually help, support and divert children away from prisons.”

Media contact:
Michelle Bennett, Engagement Director, 0419 100 519, michelle.bennett@hrlc.org.au