Overview

• The Productivity Commission’s July report found only four of 19 Closing the Gap targets remain on track to be met by 2031, with adult incarceration, youth detention, child welfare and suicide measures all worsening.
• The Northern Territory lowered the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10, removed detention as a last resort, reinstated spit hoods and expanded police powers in its newest Youth Justice Act amendments.
• Indigenous leaders, human rights bodies and experts condemned the Territory’s punitive measures and called for greater investment in prevention and holistic early intervention programs.
• Coalition of Peaks convener Pat Turner and other Indigenous organizations demanded full implementation of the four Priority Reforms, emphasizing genuine power sharing and long-term flexible funding for community-controlled solutions.
• The Senate passed a motion led by Senator Lidia Thorpe urging urgent national action on Indigenous deaths in custody following the commission’s data on rising incarceration and suicide rates.