The Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council strongly opposes a series of harmful legislative and policy changes to the youth justice system introduced by the Northern Territory (NT) Country Liberal Party (CLP) Government since August 2024.
In October 2024, the NT Government lowered the age of criminal responsibility to 10 years and imposed stricter conditions on bail, making it more difficult for children and young people to be granted release. In November 2024 the Government announced they would be relocating all children and young people from the Alice Springs Youth Detention Facility to the Holtze Youth Detention Facility in Darwin 1500kms away. NT Department of Corrections have confirmed they will provide no financial support for families to travel to Darwin to visit children and young people incarcerated at Holtze facility.
At ten – we don’t understand crime. – Young person, Imanpa
Most recently, in July 2025, further changes to the Youth Justice Act were introduced, including expanded use of force within detention facilities, the reintroduction of spit hoods, mechanical restraints, and the use of dogs. These practices are harmful and dehumanising. The reinstatement of spit hoods violates Australia’s commitments under key United Nations human rights treaties, including United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Convention Against Torture & Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT). These changes deeply impact the rights and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people.
We don’t want to send our kids to jail. We need funding to keep kids active, keep them out of jail and on country. Men and women need to be taught about culture when young and we need to keep it going. Keep it strong. We need young people to make our community proud. – NPY Women’s Council Director
These changes also contradict the recommendations from the 2017 Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory, which called for trauma-informed, culturally appropriate, and community-led approaches to youth justice.
Despite Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) attempting to provide feedback to the Government for their “reform” agenda, no consultation with young people, ACCO’s, or community organisations were completed prior to the legislative changes to the Youth Justice Act. NPY Women’s Council Directors are concerned that whilst these changes have been made in the Northern Territory, they will have an impact across the tri-state area due to the transience of families travelling across the NPY lands and often, into Mparntwe Alice Springs.
NPY Women’s Council are a member of the Central Australian Youth Justice (CAYJ) Coalition undertaking youth justice advocacy urging the government to address policies that sever Anangu children and young people’s connection to family, culture, and Country, perpetuating intergenerational trauma that echoes the devastating impacts of the Stolen Generations. We support the #RaiseTheAge campaign and stand with other First Nations leaders advocating to end state violence against children and raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years to align with the recommendation by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Further, NPY Women’s Council expresses strong opposition to the NT Government’s decision to carry out a 12-month trial, effective 1st September, to allow members of the community to purchase, possess, and use Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) spray — commonly known as pepper spray. This policy shift forms part of a broader “tough on crime” agenda that continues to disproportionately target and harm Aboriginal communities. Introducing weapons into the community under the guise of safety contradicts the evidence; such measures are far more likely to escalate conflict than to prevent it, leading to a diminished sense of safety for all.
You know all the Directors we don’t want to create more problems. It’s dangerous. It’s a big risk. It’s going to cause more violence. We don’t want that to come into communities or to be in community stores. – NPY Women’s Council Director
Although the NT Government has stated it is committed to building safer communities, it must shift its focus from punitive measures to addressing the structural conditions that give rise to harm. Communities need investment in housing, health, education and specialist domestic violence and youth services in order to achieve meaningful change. NPY Women’s Council has signed an open letter with Justice Not Jails imploring the government to reverse the OC spray trial and prevent further harm in communities.
Recently NPY Women’s Council met with the Australian Human Rights Commission Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollands as well Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek to discuss these issues impacting our communities and highlight our commitment to advocating for children, young and vulnerable people who are disproportionality affected by these policies. We have also engaged in meaningful conversations with state and federal stakeholders at SNAICC’s conference in Brisbane this week, alongside other ACCOs and First-Nations led organisations working towards increased protections for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children across the country.
Most importantly, the voices of children, young people and families must be central to any decision-making about youth justice and criminal justice legislation to ensure that Anangu are not left behind.
