CLP Passes Tough Youth Justice Laws in NT Parliament

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The Country Liberal Party (CLP) government in the Northern Territory has passed stringent amendments to the Youth Justice Act, aiming to enhance community safety and reform youth justice by removing lenient policies and empowering officers.
The Country Liberal Party (CLP) government, led by Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, has fulfilled its election promise to strengthen community safety by passing significant amendments to the Youth Justice Act 2005 and Youth Justice Regulations 2006 in the Northern Territory (NT) Parliament on July 31, 2025. The new laws, introduced urgently following a stabbing at the Royal Darwin Show, eliminate the previous policy of detention as a last resort, expand powers for Youth Justice Officers (YJOs), and prioritize victims’ rights, as reported by Mirage News.

The legislation grants courts access to a youth’s full criminal history when sentencing for adult offenses, allows YJOs to use anti-spit guards and reasonable force, and broadens the definition of escape to strengthen emergency powers, per the NT government’s statement to ABC News. It also reforms the Youth Justice Advisory Committee and aligns powers of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with the Correctional Services Act. Minister for Corrections Gerard Maley told Mirage News that these changes ensure accountability and protect YJOs, stating, “These reforms respond to community concerns, ensuring offenders face real consequences.” The amendments also expand the list of serious offenses ineligible for youth diversion, enabling police to charge serious offenders directly rather than returning them home.

Opposition Leader Selena Uibo criticized the CLP for ignoring the 2017 Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the NT, which condemned practices like spit hoods and mechanical restraints, per ABC News. Youth justice advocates, including Dr. Anna Lithgow, warned to ABC News that spit hoods risk asphyxiation and could lead to severe health consequences for detainees. Justice Reform Initiative’s Dr. Mindy Sotiri told ABC Radio Darwin that the reforms fail to address how young people perceive crime, potentially increasing recidivism.

Despite criticism, Chief Minister Finocchiaro defended the laws on Mix 104.9, asserting they align with community expectations to curb crime, per the NT Independent. The CLP’s focus on tougher penalties aims to restore public confidence, though advocates argue for evidence-based solutions like early intervention and community-led programs to address underlying causes of youth crime.