Allies for Children, a newly formed alliance of Child Protection agencies, has rallied behind SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children and its call for an independent National Commissioner dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The alliance took their stand at the SNAICC '23 conference currently underway in Garamilla/Darwin.

Allies for Children includes some of the country's largest child and family organisations including OzChild, Key Assets, Life Without Barriers, Barnardo's, MacKillop and The Benevolent Society. The partnership was formed to drive real and sustained change to benefit children across the country and to do so through collaboration and scale.

Allies spokesperson Claire Robbs, the CEO of Life Without Barriers, noted that SNAICC have been calling for a National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children for 42 years.

"The Allies for Children believe it's time the Federal Government heads the calls of the sector and peak bodies to establish a National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children," she said.

"The need for a National Commissioner has been at the forefront of SNAICC's work for decades, and now we have government representatives and advocates joining their call for this position because they recognise how vital this role is for the future of First Nations young people."

The Benevolent Society chief executive Lin Hatfield Dodds said the sector is united in supporting a National Commissioner and believes the Peak Body for Children must be at the table with the Federal Government to have the Commissioner established.

"As SNAICC's CEO, Catherine Liddle stated today, this is the action that First Nations communities are asking for – a Commissioner could be established and start work that will directly benefit children by the end of this year," Ms Hatfield Dodds said.

"I can see no greater impact that the Federal Government could make to both the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and to their commitments to the Closing the Gap Agreement than working with SNAICC on this key priority for our nation."

Federal Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth told National Indigenous Times that working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance bodies to determine the specific parameters and functions of a National Advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People "is an action under the Safe and Supported: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander First Action Plan 2023-26".

"Our government, including myself as Minister, is committed to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and to shared decision making through Safe and Supported," she said.

"Embedding the voices of children, young people and families in our policy decision making is key. This is being done through policy areas like the Safe and Supported Framework, the Early Years' Strategy and the Targeting Entrenched Disadvantage package.

"I am proud of the direction our Albanese Labor Government is taking in this space and the work we are doing every day to create a better future for Australia across all communities, particularly for First Nations communities."

It is understood that early stage discussions around the establishment and operation of a national advocate are currently underway by the Safe and Supported working groups, including the discussion of relationship such an Advocate or Commissioner would have to existing Commissioners through the Attorney-General's Department and the Australian Human Rights Commission.