Call to pause Northern Territory child protection Bill
The National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People has called on the Northern Territory Government to pause the progression of the Care and Protection of Children Legislation Amendment Bill.
The call comes after a joint statement released by Community Services Ministers, including the Federal Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek and State and Territory ministers responsible for child protection, on Monday, 29 July 2026.
National Commissioner Sue-Anne Hunter has endorsed this joint statement and urgently calls for the Bill’s immediate pause.
Ms Hunter said the NT Government needed to listen to the experts telling them to pause the Bill and to stop acting in a silo without the rights of the child in mind.
Rights of the the child
“This Bill goes directly against the rights of the child and contradicts everything that was put in place to protect them,”Ms Hunter said.
“The NT Government is blatantly ignoring everyone, expert or not. We are calling on urgent action, urgent reform and for the NT Government to halt the progression of this Bill immediately.”
On July 8, the Legislative Scrutiny Committee handed down its final Report on the inquiry into the Bill.
Despite receiving 150 submissions, with more than 120 of them calling for the Bill not to proceed, the committee recommended in a 3-2 split that it be passed. Child and family experts, independent institutions and frontline organisations have raised serious concerns that rushing the Bill through the NT Parliament without adequate consultation risks more First Nations children being removed from their culture, family and kin.
“If this Bill passes, more children will be removed. Enough is enough. Listen to the experts who have the lived experience and stop this deeply concerning and discriminatory Bill from passing,” Ms Hunter said.
Last week Ms Hunter joined an urgent call from Australian Children’s Commissioners, Guardians and Advocates (ACCGA) following the recent resignation of Northern Territory Children’s Commissioner Shahleena Musk.
“I am deeply concerned that the NT Government is shifting the responsibility for their own systemic failures, ”she said.
“Our children should not be used as political pawns. Legislative reform must be drafted based on evidence that centres the wellbeing of our children.
“We must listen to the voices of children and young people, front-line experts and community Elders who know what is best for our children and families. If we don’t listen – we risk increasing the number of children in out-of-home care and permanently separating them from their inherent right to culture and community.”
Risks to the child
The Bill, in its current form, Ms Hunter said, risks further permanent removal of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory through the weakening of the ATSICPP.
“The Child Placement Principle has five interrelated elements: Prevention, Partnership, Placement, Participation and Connection. Each of these five elements must be applied together if we are to keep our children safe and out of the child protection system,” she said.
“The ATSICPP does not interfere with the safety of a child; it only enhances the protections.”
“I urge the NT Government to focus on resourcing, including addressing the significant worker vacancy rate in their child protection agency, and building the right community-led support services for children and families. A child’s future depends on us; let’s not let them down.”
