NT Government to consider tougher penalties for criminals who brag on social media

Territorians searching for social media fame — or infamy — are posting videos and photos of their illegal antics online. See what the NT Government is looking to do to them.

The Territory will look across the border at controversial tough new penalties against criminals who brag and share evidence of their misdeeds online.

Territorians searching for social media fame — or infamy — are posting videos and photos of their illegal antics online, with young offenders reportedly some of the most prolific crim-fluencers.

In November videos of people allegedly ramming cop cars with stolen vehicles in Alice Springs and Katherine circulated widely online.

But these “viral“ stunts were just part of a worrying trend by offenders bragging about their crimes on social media, according to Chief Minister Natasha Fyles.

Ms Fyles said it was a “point of frustration” to see crimes plastered across social media.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said it was a “point of frustration” for police to see crimes plastered across social media. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

On Tuesday, Ms Fyles said her government would be looking at “elements” of a controversial youth crime announcement by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Ms Palaszczuk announced on Thursday that Queensland would increase penalties for young car thieves, make amendments to bail and sentencing acts, and push for harsher punishments for criminals who boast about their crimes on social media.

The announcement was in reaction to the alleged murder of a 41-year-old North Lakes woman, Emma Lovell by teenage home invaders.

It is unclear if the Queensland penalties for social media criminals will be an aggravating factor or a new offence.

Queensland Police said they were not told about the youth justice reforms before they were announced, while others have criticised it as trying to “arrest our way out” of a complex issue.

Ms Fyles said she was considering “elements” of the Queensland proposals, particularly the push to crack down on social media bragging.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces changes to youth justice laws in Queensland. Brisbane Thursday 29th December 2022 Picture David Clark

She said banning phones in schools was to stop young people posting their crimes online.

“That comes from feedback from the school community around that social media issue,” she said.

Ms Fyles said Territory Families was looking into the Queensland proposal to see “if any of that would correlate to the Northern Territory context”.

However, the Chief said only evidence-based approaches to crime would be adopted.

“I think that sometimes a mandatory sentence or a hard line approach might make us feel better at that time, but does it really drive that longer term safer community?,” she said.

“We need to base our decisions on evidence.

“It’s also acknowledging we’re human and when mistakes are made, we need to have rehabilitation programs.”

It comes a month after her government was expected to complete an 18-month review into its own tough Youth Bail Act changes, which was due in November.

Ms Fyles said she understood work was still underway on the review.

At the time the changes were described as “a dagger in the heart of our youth justice system” by the Criminal Lawyers Association in 2021.

The laws are believed to be the cause of a spike in the number of children behind bars without a conviction.

When the laws came into effect in May 2021 there were 66 children on remand, but by March 2022 there were 87 children, according to the latest Territory Families data.

The remand numbers hit a peak in November 2021, with 97 children locked up while waiting for their cases.

Originally published as NT Government to consider tougher penalties for criminals who brag on social media