NT laws to allow police to hold young people for 48 hours will be ‘funnelling Aboriginal children into prisons’, advocates warn

Police will be able to question children without an adult present and hold them after being charged under draft laws introduced by the CLP

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The Northern Territory government has been accused of “funnelling Aboriginal children into prisons” over draft youth justice laws that would give police the power to charge, detain and question young people for up to 48 hours without a legal guardian.

Under the proposed amendments to the NT Youth Justice Act, introduced by the corrections minister, Gerard Maley, young people charged with an offence would be able to be held for up to 48 hours in police watch houses, interviewed if they have “knowledge in relation to an offence”, and questioned without an adult present if it is “in relation to a serious and urgent matter concerning public safety”.