NT child protection bill one year in the making had 'limited' consultation
The Northern Territory's child protection bill has faced criticism for limited consultation prior to its introduction in parliament. The Department of Children and Families cited 'time constraints' as the reason for the lack of engagement with Indigenous organizations. The bill, which aims to prioritize safety, has been in development for a year and is now under review by the Legislative Scrutiny Committee.
- ▪The NT government took a year to prepare the child protection bill before introducing it to parliament.
- ▪Consultation was limited due to time constraints, according to the Department of Children and Families.
- ▪The bill has received criticism from Indigenous organizations for potentially weakening the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle.
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NT child protection bill consultation not possible due to 'time constraints', department saysBy Jack HislopTopic:Child AbuseWed 27 May 2026 at 5:57pmWed 27 May 2026 at 5:57pmWed 27 May 2026 at 5:57pmBrent Warren says "time constraints" meant there was little opportunity to consult on changes to child protection legislation. (ABC News: Tristan Hooft)In short:A public briefing about controversial child protection changes has heard consultation was limited due to "time constraints".The NT government took a year to prepare the bill before it was introduced to parliament earlier this month.What's next?The NT Legislative Scrutiny Committee is set to prepare a report on the bill before it returns to parliament to be…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).