The Northern Territory government has introduced draft laws that would allow police to hold young people for up to 48 hours without a guardian, sparking warnings from advocates that the measures will funnel Aboriginal children into prisons.
Under the proposed amendments to the Youth Justice Act, young people charged with an offence could be held in police watch houses for up to 48 hours, interviewed if they have knowledge of an offence, and questioned without an adult present in urgent public safety matters.
The First Nations justice director at the Human Rights Law Centre, Maggie Munn, said the changes would discriminate against Indigenous children and expose them to “barbaric conditions” in police cells. “Police watch houses are not safe places for children and detaining children in watch houses for up to 48 hours is inhumane,” she said.
In a statement, NT police said they did not anticipate frequent use of the provision and that watch houses provided adequate care. The amendment preserved the right to silence, and any urgent interview would be recorded on body-worn cameras, with statements inadmissible in criminal proceedings.
Separately, child protection advocates criticised the narrow scope of a review into the sector following the death of a five-year-old in Alice Springs, saying it would fail to deliver meaningful reform.
