Details of Labor’s proposed youth crime laws as part of justice reforms outlined in NT parliament
Police will be allowed to take saliva samples from youths found allegedly drink driving, in new laws being put before the NT parliament on Wednesday.
Northern Territory
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POLICE will be allowed to take saliva samples from youths found allegedly drink driving, in new laws being put before the NT parliament on Wednesday.
Courts will also not be able to dismiss charges against youths who haven’t successfully completed a diversion program.
Under the measures, a raft of serious offences will see repeat offenders given presumption against bail.
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NT police minister Nicole Manison unveiled the changes in NT parliament saying it would “reduce youth crime by removing opportunities for repeat youth offenders”.
Ms Manison also claimed 116 youth offenders were responsible for roughly half of youth offences in the Northern Territory.
Changes mean police will be able to conduct breath tests at a “point of incident” to any children allegedly found driving under the influence.
Previously, a responsible adult needed to be present for a saliva or breath test to be conducted.
If youths breach their bail conditions, they cannot be awarded fresh bail by a judge.
“Fresh bail will only be granted to youths who have seriously breached their bail conditions if they submit to electronic monitoring and/or agree to provide in supported bail accommodation,” Ms Manison said.
However, the police minister acknowledged that for many youth crims outside of Darwin and Alice Springs, the lack of youth detention means they’ll continue to live “in the community”.
A number of well known Territorians, including Danila Dilba chief executive Olga Havnen and Darwin Archbishop Charles Gauci, have signed a letter calling for both Labor and the CLP to back down on the issue.
“All these reforms will do is result in more reoffending, more crime and more wrecked lives,” Ms Havnen said.
“Frankly these reforms fly in the face all of the evidence about what works including the findings of the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of children in the NT,” she said.
“We need less knee-jerk reactions motivated by political expediency and more evidence-based reform to our justice system.”
Youths charged with the following offences will result in a presumption against bail:
Riot
Going armed in public
Cause harm
Assault a worker
Aggravated assault
Assault of a police or emergency worker
Unlawful entry
Unlawful use of a vessel, motor vehicle, caravan or trailer
Stealing
Assault with the intent to steal
Criminal damage
Arson
Recklessly endangering life
Recklessly endangering serious harm
Negligently causing serious harm
Driving a motor vehicle causing death or serious harm
Hit and run
Dangerous driving
Breaching a DVO
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