Group protests against bail law changes to be pushed through NT Parliament

A CROWD gathered out the front of the NT Parliament on Wednesday morning ahead of controversial youth bail law changes being pushed through

• Controversial youth justice laws to be pushed through parliament ‘on urgency’ today
• NT Health Department appoints Dr Frank Daly as new chief executive officer

A CROWD gathered out the front of the NT Parliament on Wednesday morning ahead of controversial youth bail law changes being pushed through.

About 30 people attended, demanding the Labor government reconsider the laws and an inquiry be held into how best to tackle youth crime.

Protesters claim the new laws will see more kids enter the criminal justice system.

Protest organiser Mililma May, 22, said she feared the new laws would perpetuate a long-running cycle in youth crime.

“I fear we’ll lose a whole generation to Trauma and institutionalised racism,” Ms May said.

“We’re calling for an enquiry against the laws, because they weren’t made with community consultation,” she said.

“The issue is that Don Dale is already at capacity, children are using bed sheets as towels because they’ve run out of towels and that depicts the lack of resources at Don Dale when the numbers are going to be increasing.”

Ms May said she hoped the protests could put pressure on Chief Minister Michael Gunner to reconsider the laws.

“Every little bit helps,” she said.

“We always have to have hope, because that’s all we have at the end of the day.”

Follow @thomasmorgan22