The appearance of every child commissioner in Canberra on Monday was vital to highlighting the inhumane treatment of children in Australia, an inquiry has heard.
It comes as the child commissioner revealed Victoria refused to allow her to visit youth facilities in the state.
Appearing at the Senate hearing into Australia's youth justice and incarceration system, all of Australia's Children's Commissioners, Guardians and Advocates told the inquiry the justice system was abusing some of the most vulnerable children across the country.
WA Commissioner for Children and Young People, Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, told National Indigenous Times the collaboration of all the commissioners was critical, because "we are all seeing abuses of child rights every day".
"We are all seeing children where the systems are failing," Commissioner McGowan-Jones said.
"It was critically important for us to stand up collectively and say, 'please hear the voices of our children and young people,' and we bring those voices to the table."
The National Children's Commissioner, Anne Hollonds, told the inquiry she had not been allowed into the youth detention facilities in Victoria to inspect them, despite other jurisdictions opening their doors.
Asked to clarify why this was the case, Commissioner Hollonds said she was given no reason by Victoria.
The Victorian Youth Justice Minister was contacted for a response.
The Children's Commissioner also said children in Queensland were being given tents when they left detention by officials.
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Asked by chair, Liberal Senator Paul Scarr, why this was the case, the Commissioner said it was due to a lack of housing in the state.
"That is just one example from around the country…we are not providing the support for these highly vulnerable people," she said.
Expanding on her conversations with children across the country in detention, Commissioner Hollonds said employment, food and safety were constant issues.
"I asked these teenage boys, who weren't very articulate, 'why do you think young fellas are stealing?'" she said.
Commissioner Hollonds said the boys replied "they're hungry", before rubbing their stomach.
"They want to go to school, but they don't feel like they belong there," the Commissioner said, adding some children said they didn't feel safe in the facilities.
When asked why children steal cars, one child responded: "Because they know they will never have the money to buy one."
In Broome, the Commissioner said no drug rehabilitation centre was available.
She said an official told her for young people to get support for their drug dependency, they effectively needed to commit a crime and be sent to Banksia Hill [Detention Centre].
"The most chilling thing was when kids had lost all hope…They had no hope but moving to an adult jail," Commissioner Hollonds said.
"Detention, it's a revolving door."
Speaking at the inquiry, Commissioner McGowan-Jones said she didn't like to call it a criminal justice system, preferring to call it a legal system as "there is not much justice involved for children".
Asked how important it was for children to be given adequate support and the ability to rehabilitate, the Arrernte and Warumungu woman told National Indigenous Times: "It's critical for the safety of society."
"What we know is that incarceration just leads potentially to greater crimes and a life of incarceration," she said.
"So, prior to getting involved in the system, we need to be intervening early."
Commissioner McGowan-Jones said it was vital children were getting the holistic support they needed as soon as they came into contact with police or the legal system, in order to prevent the inevitability of recidivism.
"That means we are addressing the health and mental health needs of the children and young people," Commissioner McGowan-Jones said.
"So that when they exit, they're not exiting into homelessness, or they're not exiting into a violent situation, or having no choice but to go back to where they were before."
