Northern Territory opposition leader Selena Uibo has lambasted an apparent backflip around privatisation in corrections by Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro.
It comes as the CLP government announced legislation changes last week to allow interstate corrections staff and "qualified external correctional services providers" to work in NT prisons.
It was described by the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) as representing a "shift towards the privatisation," which gives contractors the same powers as corrections officers, including the use of "physical force, restraints, and weapons".
The decision by Ms Finocchiaro contrasts to a media release from 2018, where she chastised the then-Labor government for supposed moves to privatise prisons after failing to reach an operational agreement with United Workers Union (UWU) ahead of industrial action.
"A cut-priced approach to Corrections, including outsourcing, is unsafe and irresponsible, especially given the Territory is currently at record high levels of crime and incarceration," Ms Finocchiaro said at the time.
"The Opposition does not support the outsourcing of Correction Officer roles."
The then-deputy opposition leader added: "Working in our correctional system, like other frontline roles, requires specialised training and knowledge. It is imperative staff are resourced adequately."
Labor leader Selena Uibo slammed the backflip by the CLP.
"Lia Finocchiaro will say anything if it suits her narrative," Ms Uibo, the first Indigenous leader of a major party in Australia, said.
"In Opposition, she said outsourcing Corrections Officer roles was dangerous and unsafe.
"Now she's Chief Minister, she thinks flying in private security contractors from interstate to deal with her prison mess is a great idea."
In a statement on Thursday, NAAJA said they were "concerned that poorly trained and underqualified privately contracted staff will become responsible for prisoners in extremely challenging situations, which will create high risks for both the prisoners and staff".
"Furthermore, there will be limited options for legal recourse should something go wrong," NAAJA said.
Last week, UWU secretary Erin Early said the Correctional Services Legislative Amendment Bill 2025 would mean unqualified people were performing the specialised jobs of corrections staff.
"Officers are very concerned about their safety more than ever and have genuine fear that corrections will be completely privatised in the future," she said at the time," Ms Early said.
On Friday, NT News revealed the UWU had voted overwhelmingly for the "immediate" dismissal of Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley.
He had argued this week unqualified personnel would not be employed in the NT corrections system.
It was reported only 2 per cent of the correctional officers who voted believed Mr Varley was fit for the role.
Ms Uibo said Ms Finocchiaro and Corrections Minister Gerard Maley had "turned their back on Corrections Officers, refusing to hear their concerns about staff safety in our prisons".
"Territorians deserve a leader who stands by their word – not one who relentlessly flip flops for their own political ends," she said.
There has been significant criticism of the prison system in the NT, with the government refusing to apologise in their efforts to "keep community safe".
An average of 40 Aboriginal people have been taken into custody every day since December, almost double the rate from January 2020. Almost 70 per cent of people in prisons in the NT are on remand awaiting a court date.
88.3 per cent of all prisoners in the NT are Indigenous.
Earlier this month, Independent politician Yiŋiya Mark Guyula said he had written to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, calling for them to visit the NT.
Last week, National Indigenous Times reported on conditions in the Alice Springs Watch House where Indigenous women were kept in hot, poorly ventilated cells with up to 20 others, often only being able to drink from a tap above an often-blocked communal toilet.
