NT urged to follow ACT counterparts in pledge to raise the age or criminal responsibility

Social services organisations have renewed calls for the Territory Government to raise the age of criminal responsibility after ACT Labor made the pledge in its governing agreement with the Greens this week.

Social services organisations have renewed calls for the Territory Government to raise the age of criminal responsibility.

SOCIAL services organisations have renewed calls for the Territory Government to raise the age of criminal responsibility after ACT Labor made the pledge in its governing agreement with the Greens this week.

The Labor/Greens coalition released the agreement after retaining power in the Territory election last month, outlining its “ambitious legislative and administrative reform agenda” for the next four years.

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The pledges include raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility as one of the government’s “priority reform areas” but does not specify whether it would go as high as 14, in line with calls from human rights organisations.

Following the announcement, NT Council of Social Services chief executive Deborah Di Natale said the current age of criminal responsibility at 10 was discriminatory and harmful to children who “don’t belong in prison”.

“NTCOSS has, alongside many Aboriginal community controlled organisations and medical and legal experts, long called for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised to 14,” she said.

“The evidence shows that locking kids up often leads to further offending.

“This government has committed to raise the age, and we look forward to seeing that achieved, for the benefit of the whole community.”

A spokeswoman for Territory Families Minister Kate Worden said programs that focused on getting children who would fall under the raised age back on track should be established before any changes to the law.

“The Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the NT recommended that the age of criminal responsibility be raised from 10 to 12 years,” she said.

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“In order for this law reform to be effective, services must first be established that cater for at-risk children below the age of criminal responsibility.”

A meeting of state and territory Attorneys-General in July determined more work needed to be done before raising the age.

Originally published as NT urged to follow ACT counterparts in pledge to raise the age or criminal responsibility