Doctors flag ‘urgent concern’ over NT government’s youth bail changes, call for ‘humane’ response

Australia’s peak medical bodies have thrown their weight behind criticism of the NT Government’s proposed changes to youth bail laws, saying doctors are ‘deeply concerned’.

• Bail changes a ‘dagger in the heart’ of youth justice system, lawyers warn

AUSTRALIA’S peak medical bodies have thrown their weight behind criticism of the NT Government’s proposed changes to youth bail laws, saying doctors are “deeply concerned”.

The warning comes in an open letter to Health Minister Natasha Fyles, Attorney-General Selena Uibo, Police Minister Nicole Manison and Territory Families Minister Kate Worden, co-signed by the Australian Medical Association and Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, among others.

The doctors say they penned the open letter in “urgent concern” after the changes were introduced to parliament “with no opportunity for consultation” last week.

“As child and adolescent health practitioners, researchers and experts, we are deeply concerned about the impact these reforms will have on the health and wellbeing of young people in contact with the NT’s justice system,” the letter reads.

“We note that this is a demographic that is almost entirely made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children with a disability.”

MORE NT COURT NEWS

‘World record’ wanker ‘not a bad boy’, his mother tells court

Ex-public servant accused of scamming widow with one leg denied bail

Former government staffer arrested for historical sex offences

The doctors say the new laws fly in the face of last month’s Senate report into Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, which found a high prevalence of the condition among youths in detention.

“Detention centres in the NT do not contain the therapeutic, trauma-informed or rehabilitative environments needed to properly respond to these complex health concerns,” the letter reads.

“Due to a lack of Medicare funding in detention, there is a limit to comprehensive primary health care and medical and therapeutic services that are so direly needed.

“Increasing the amount of young people in detention would only exacerbate the strain on the medical services provided in detention and worsen these conditions.”

The letter calls on the government to respond “humanely and responsibly” by investing in “proven effective” alternatives to incarceration such as diversion programs and early intervention.

“These reforms pose a significant threat to the health and wellbeing of an already vulnerable cohort of young people,” it reads.

“Punitive legislation does not rehabilitate young offenders or keep communities safe.”

An NT Government spokesman defended its “whole approach” as evidence-based and said it had invested a “record” $229.6m in generational change reforms.

“It is informed by the experience of the past four years and it focuses on what isn’t working,” he said.

“Court-ordered programs are a key element of ensuring that young offenders change their behaviour and don’t go on to become adult criminals.

“That is why alongside these changes, we are creating more court-ordered programs and alternatives to custody including JSS youth justice conferencing, early intervention camps, and the Barkly youth justice work camp.”

Follow @jas_walls