NT Chief Minister Eva Lawler announces Youth Justice Act review as she details priorities for the year ahead

Outlining her plan for the year ahead, the Chief Minister has also promised new youth detention camps and a focus on getting Aboriginal people into work.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Eva Lawler says a youth justice review and getting more Territorians into work are priorities for the year ahead. Picture: Fia Walsh

The Northern Territory Chief Minister has promised a review of youth justice laws and three new youth detention camps in a public address outlining her priorities for the year ahead.

Speaking to a crowd of hundreds on Monday morning, Eva Lawler also announced a large extension to the Casuarina Coastal Reserve at Darwin’s Lee Point, and a new government services portal to help “cut red tape” for business permits and licenses.

Her main focus was on getting “all Territorians who can work to be working”, something she said was key to improving social issues in Aboriginal communities.

Other priorities included easing cost of living pressures, improving community safety, economic development, and backing the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said the youth justice review was “not political”. Picture: Fia Walsh

Ms Lawler said her review of the Youth Justice Act would take a comprehensive look at areas including bail and family responsibility, and would hear from both experts and the community.

“I’ve heard from Territorians in the two months I’ve been Chief Minister that people aren’t happy with what’s going on with young people in the Territory,” she said in a press conference following the speech.

“There’s no point in tinkering around the edges, we need to have a good look at (the Act).

“We need to bring in some experts, we need people on the ground who are working in those fields, and also just Territorians to tell us specific things that they’d like to see change.”

Seven years on from a royal commission into youth detention in the NT, Ms Lawler said the policy context around youth crime had changed.

“I’m not saying we’ll throw out any of those recommendations, but I think it’s timely that we have a look at that whole area of youth justice … people will tell you things have changed in the Territory over the last few years.”

The review will be carried out by an independent consultancy and its findings will not be returned until after the August election.

“It’s not political,” Ms Lawler said. “I’m happy to have the opposition involved.”

In the meantime, she said immediate steps were being taken for three new residential youth facilities to be stood up in Darwin, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, with plans for a fourth in Katherine.

Braitling MLA Josh Burgoyne said a youth justice review was “too little, too late”. Picture: Fia Walsh

Braitling MLA Josh Burgoyne said the Country Liberal Party was “always trying to work with the government”, but slammed Ms Lawler’s announcements as “too little, too late”.

“What we’re seeing here is a desperate attempt from a government in its dying days to claw back any sort of confidence from people in the Northern Territory on this topic.

“It’s been the CLP that have been putting forward these proposals for years.”

Mr Burgoyne said the government’s attempts to implement recommendations from the royal commission had seen “levels of crime explode right across the Northern Territory”.

“A lot of those people that were a part of those commissions, part of those reports, they don’t live in the communities that I represent,” he said.