National calls to ban spit hoods after NT police reveal continued use against kids

A national campaign to ban the use of spit hoods has been launched after Territory Police disclosed their continued use against children as young as 12-years-old.

A NATIONAL campaign to ban the use of spit hoods has been launched after Territory Police disclosed their continued use against children as young as 12-years-old.

In an exclusive to the NT News, police revealed an increasing use of spit hoods on Territory children over the past two years.

Police data revealed officers used spit hoods on children 27 times in Territory watch houses since 2018, 21 of those were since 2020.

This was despite a commitment by the Gunner Government to ban the use of spit hoods on children following the 2017 Royal Commission.

The Royal Commission’s investigation into the Territory’s child protection and youth justice system concluded the restraints were “inhumane”, with experts describing them as “distressing” and “claustrophobic”.

The admission of continued spit hood use against Territory children, five years on from the start of the Royal Commission, has renewed calls to ban the practice across Australia.

The #BanSpitHoods Collective have released a petition for the immediate legislative ban on spit hoods in every state and territory on Monday.

Aboriginal and Māori, Takatāpui person, Latoya Aroha Rule. Picture: Supplied by Latoya Aroha Rule

UTS Jumbunna Institute research associate Latoya Aroha Rule has been a leading advocate for the movement after their brother Wayne Fella Morrison lost consciousness and later died following restraint in a spit hood in South Australia in 2016.

Latoya and their family advocated following his passing, leading to South Australia becoming the first Australian jurisdiction to legally ban spit hoods in 2021.

“There is no appropriate or safe way to use a spit hood. Spit hoods pose an unacceptable risk to human life and dignity,” Latoya said.

“Amnesty have found that spit hoods violate the UN Convention Against Torture, yet their use continues on children, especially in the NT today.

“Children in the NT, and everyone across the continent, deserve a future free of torture.

“This has to end – and the only way to secure this is to ban spit hoods by law.

“We cannot risk another life.”

Latoya also pointed out that almost all children in the Northern Territory youth justice system were Aboriginal, saying “we believe this is systemic racism”.

Latoya said the legislation in South Australia showed that bans on spit hoods were possible across all prison contexts.

“We call for all governments to follow the lead of South Australia to ban spit hoods by law in all settings for all people,” they said.

The peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, NATSILS, as well as the Human Rights Law Centre, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, and Change the Record have echoed calls for the Territory to ban the use of spit hoods.

This is horrifying.

Spithoods are torture devices and should be banned. #BanSpitHoodshttps://t.co/IwMnEfa9hs

— NATSILS (@NATSILS_) February 20, 2022

The Gunner govt agreed to adopt the Royal Commission’s recommendation to ban #SpitHoods and restraint chairs and yet police have increased their use on young people since 2020.

The NT govt must #BanSpitHoods - Shut down Don Dale and #RaiseTheAge to at least 14 years old. https://t.co/apNNhDIIVa

— Human Rights Law Centre (@rightsagenda) February 21, 2022

#BanSpitHoods Their use on #children is inconsistent with international #HumanRights law standards including, #CRC#CAT#MandelaRules#HavanaRules#BeijingRules & #RiyadhGuidelines Any use of harmful devices on children detained in Australia should be banned nationwide #auslawhttps://t.co/ul7UKebORB

— Aus Law Human Rights (@AusLawyersHR) February 21, 2022

FRONT PAGE: CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 12 PUT IN SPITHOODS. As our EO @SophieTrevitt said, “putting a hood over a child’s face, or strapping a child to a mechanical chair, is barbaric.’ It should be banned nationwide 👉🏽 https://t.co/unAwjZs7Tz#BanSpitHoodspic.twitter.com/7kBmSiEQJJ

— Change the Record (@Change_Record) February 21, 2022

Latoya said the movement was in solidarity with calls for the Northern Territory Government to properly implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission, including to immediately shut down Don Dale Youth Detention Centre.