Media release Thursday 14 May 2026
The National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (National Commission) is raising serious concerns about the Care and Protection of Aboriginal Children Amendment (Every Child Matters 2026) Bill 2026, which was tabled in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly this week.
If passed, the Every Child Matters 2026 Bill will continue to negatively impact the care and safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
The National Commission is extremely concerned that the devastating death of an Aboriginal child is being exploited to justify sweeping legislative changes.
Sue-Anne Hunter, National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People, said the proposed reforms are devastating for Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory.
“What was announced this week can only be described as devastating for the future of our children in the Northern Territory. If passed, it will result in more children being removed, more children subject to harm and more children unsafe from the systems put in place to protect them,” said National Commissioner Hunter.
“The proposed changes weaken the long-standing protections designed to ensure Aboriginal children remain connected to their families, community, culture and Country.”
“The Every Child Matters 2026 Bill restructures the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP) despite decades of evidence that Aboriginal children have better long-term outcomes because of it.”
“The Bill reduces obligations to actively pursue reunification and expands coercive and punitive powers over families, while structural issues remain unaddressed.”
“The Northern Territory already holds the highest rate of overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in out-of-home care in the country. These reforms do nothing to reduce this overrepresentation.”
The proposed changes extend far beyond the circumstances of one case and will fundamentally reshape the Northern Territory child protection system, causing further harm to Aboriginal children and families.
“I am deeply concerned these changes are being rushed through parliament under the guise of a response to the tragic and devastating death of a child. Let me be clear, legislation like this cannot be drafted and developed overnight,” said National Commissioner Hunter.
“This death cannot justify the sweeping reforms that, if passed, would have only resulted in the same outcome. It’s misleading for the NT Government to state that these reforms are in response to or would have prevented recent events, particularly when no review has occurred.”
The National Commission confirms the proposed changes will accelerate permanency pathways without corresponding investment in housing, community-led early intervention and therapeutic support, failing to manage the systemic issues that place children at risk.
“These changes fail to align with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and Australia’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The rights of the child are being completely ignored here.”
The National Commission continues to call on governments to invest in
- Safe and secure housing delivered through Aboriginal community-controlled organisations
- Direct long-term funding for Aboriginal community-controlled organisations to lead family support and healing programs before crisis, and the removal of children
- Full legislation of all five elements of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle, with enforceable active effort obligations across all states and territories
The National Commission urges the NT Government to pause all legislative amendments that risk causing further generational harm to First Nations children and instead focus on evidence-based reforms in consultation with Aboriginal people that strengthen families and protect children.
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