200,000 Aussies sign Raise the Age petition given to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus

Tens of thousands of Australians are calling for youth justice reform that would see kids aged 10 and under freed from prison.

Children as young as 10 could be freed from prison if a petition of 200,0000 Australians is accepted by state and territory leaders.

Change the Record has presented a petition of 200,000 signatories calling for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised to 14.

Co-chair Cheryl Axleby said Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney were handed the #RaiseTheAge petition on Wednesday.

Ms Axleby said representatives from Change the Record, human rights, legal and First Nations-led organisations met with the federal leaders to hand the petition.

Just gave @LindaBurneyMP and @markdreyfusQCMP over TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND signatures of people calling for governments to #RaiseTheAge to at least 14!! 👏🏾 let’s get this done!! @chanseypaechMLA@ABarrMLA@kymaher@[e-mail]/GlOmjwQTQe

— Change the Record (@Change_Record) August 3, 2022

“Today we delivered the clear message from hundreds of thousands of Australians who want to see children looked after in our communities, homes and schools – not sent to prison,” Ms Axleby said.

“We thank the Attorney-General and Minister for Indigenous Australians for accepting our petition and for their commitment to #RaiseTheAge.”

Change the Record co-chair Cheryl Axleby. Picture: SUPPLIED

Ms Axleby called on all states and territories to match the federal government’s commitment.

“Medical, legal and child development experts who have been crystal clear: no child under the age of 14 years old should be arrested, hauled before a court or convicted of a criminal offence.”

Currently all Australian states and territories have this age set at only 10 years old, meaning police had the power to arrest a primary school student in Years 3 and 4.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service chair Priscilla Atkins said the change would have generational impacts for Australian children, particularly First Nations kids.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service chair Priscilla Atkins.

“When children are in prison, the government has failed,” Ms Atkins said.

“Our children are disproportionately impacted by these laws and we encourage other states and territories to condemn this practice.”

Amnesty International Australia Indigenous rights campaigner Maggie Munn said the legal change was the “absolute least” governments should do to improve the justice gap for First Nations people.

“Our children deserve better, and we will keep fighting until they get it,” they said.

“200,000 people have spoken, they’ve taken action and they’re angry that it’s taking this long.

“It’s time to raise the age, it’s time for the Federal and State and Territory governments to act on their constituents’ demands, on the evidence that’s on their desks, and we will hold them accountable.”

Amnesty International Australia Indigenous Rights campaigner Maggie Munn. Picture: Supplied

Human Rights Law Centre legal director Nick Espie said the change would “give our children a brighter future”.

“No child belongs in prison,” Mr Espie said.

“The evidence is clear, young children belong with their families and in community, not in prisons.

“We call on all Attorneys-General to take action now and end the injustice of locking up children, so every child has the chance to succeed.”

Change the Record said state and territory petition signatories would be handed over to state and territory Attorneys-General and members of parliament over the coming weeks.

In 2017, the Don Dale Royal Commission recommended raising the age of criminal responsibility in the Northern Territory, which currently leaves children as young as 10-years-old in prison.

The 2017 Royal Commission set the age at 12-years-old, which is consistent with the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In the five years since this recommendation, the Law Council of Australia, social, medical and community leaders have all said 14 should be the target for law reform.

NT Attorney-General Chansey Paech has committed to changing the age of criminal responsibility within the current parliamentary sitting.

Mr Paech did not commit to meeting the current recommendation of 14-years-old, instead setting the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years.

The age will be raised and it'll be done in this term of government.

As the Northern Territory's new Attorney-General and Minister for Justice i'm going to make sure of it.

Watch this space.

— Chansey Paech MLA: Member for Gwoja (@chanseypaechMLA) June 8, 2022

“The Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children recommended to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 years old to 12 years old,” Mr Paech said.

“Our Government has committed to this, although I welcome the opportunity for discussions around developing a nationally-consistent age of criminal responsibility.”

Mr Paech said to support changes to youth justice the NT needed to ensure the support and services were in place for at-risk children below the age of criminal responsibility.

“This requires an all-in approach and I am determined to drive change that will result in the best outcomes for Territory children,” Mr Paech said.

The Attorney-General said he would be working with Police and Territory Families Minister Kate Worden and non-government partners to “ensure we have clear pathways and programs in place”.

Originally published as 200,000 Aussies sign Raise the Age petition given to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus