CLP youth bail laws bill voted down in parliament after months-long wait
A CLP bill introduced months ago aimed at curbing youth crime has been voted down by the Labor government, who will instead pursue their own bill next week.
Northern Territory
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TOUGH youth crime laws put forward by the Opposition have failed to win support in parliament, after they were voted down along party lines this evening.
The CLP laws would’ve cracked down on the ability for young offenders to be released on bail and also expanded the list of offences where bail is almost certainly refused.
The policy failed after the Labor government refused to vote for the CLP bill and opted to instead push ahead with its own legislation, which is set to be voted on next week.
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The CLP first put its alternative bill before parliament in March, accusing the government of rushing to put its own legislation together after a damaging story on Alice Springs crime aired on A Current Affair.
The legislation would’ve brought back breach of bail as an offence, a measure that isn’t featured in the government’s laws.
Speaking before the bill was voted down, Opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro said the proposal pushed Labor to put forward their own changes to youth bail.
“They were pushed into a political corner where they had to come up with something,” Ms Finocchiaro said.
“We have put out the welcome mat to the Gunner government to work with us and we have seen time and time again that we are happy to take our ideas, we’re happy with them to take our ideas,” she said.
“We want to see crime in the Territory drop. That is our number one commitment.”
However, Police Minister Nicole Manison said the government’s legislation was “broader” than the CLP’s and targeted the 116 repeat offenders who made up over half of the Territory’s offences.
Ms Manison also said the CLP’s plan lacked the ability to hold families to account for letting children commit offences.
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