NT Children’s Commissioner Sally Sievers says government did not provide timely information on alleged rape of child in Darwin

THE NT Children’s Commissioner says the NT government did not provide her with information in a timely manner about the alleged sexual assault of a child in Darwin last week

NT Children’s Commissioner Sally Sievers. Picture: Helen Orr

THE NT Acting Children’s Commissioner claims she was not provided with information about the alleged sexual assault of a child in Darwin last week byteh NT government in a timely manner.

It comes after NT Police took four days to inform the public about the heinous incident, in which a three-year-old boy was allegedly raped by a stranger in the front yard of his Karama home on Thursday evening.

Acting Children’s Commissioner Sally Sievers said she had requested information about the alleged incident from Territory Families, and while her office had now received that information, it hadn’t been provided in the timely manner she would expect.

A Territory Families, Housing and Communities spokeswoman said they believed they did notify the Office of the Children’s Commission in a timely manner.

“Information was immediately provided to the Office of the Children’s Commissioner upon request,” the spokeswoman said.

”The first priority in matters such as this one is to work with Police to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the child and to support families.

“Territory Families, Housing and Communities are committed to an open and transparent working relationship with the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and to this end we regularly provide information about matters we are investigating to the Commissioner.”

Ms Sievers said she would be conducting a preliminary inquiry into the alleged incident.

A Children’s Commission spokesman said they would be releasing a statement today in regards to the alleged incident.

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NT Police Commander Martin Dole said they had a working relationship with the Office of the Children’s Commissioner.

“In general offences against children, Northern Territory Police have a close working relationship with the Children’s Commissioner and we make those notifications,” he said.

A 21-year-old man has been charged over the incident and faced court on Tuesday.

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