In ignoring Aboriginal voices, the Northern Territory government is "turning its back" on Indigenous communities and making "an already dire situation worse," the Central Land Council (CLC) has warned.

The criticism was issued at the CLC's meeting in Kalkaringi this week, marking 50 years since the historic Gurindji land handback following the Wave Hill walk-off. It comes as the Country Liberal Party (CLP) faces near-universal condemnation from Indigenous, legal, human rights and community groups over its policies during its first year in office.

"Aboriginal people make up over 30 per cent of the Northern Territory and we have been here since time immemorial. We are the Territory," the CLC said in a Friday statement.

"By ignoring our voices and rights, the CLP government is turning its back on our communities and making an already dire situation worse."

The council endorsed a three-year policy agenda focused on liveable housing, safe drinking water, stronger water governance, protection of land and Native Title rights, and lowering the cost of remote living.

"We condemned the lack of consultation about changes to sacred sites laws and voiced concerns about soaring incarceration rates and racism in the NT police," the statement read.

"We voiced deep concerns about the punitive laws and policies of the NT's Country Liberal Party government.

"These laws and policies do not support our people—they punish them."

The CLP has defended its approach, insisting Closing the Gap targets cannot come at the expense of community safety. Since taking office, the government has presided over a sharp rise in incarceration. The NT now has the second-highest imprisonment rate in the world—behind only El Salvador—with more than one per cent of the population behind bars.

Since January, more than 3,300 people have been refused bail under "Declan's Law," a 44 per cent increase on Labor's last year in office, alongside a 40 per cent rise in remand numbers. Aboriginal people make up almost 90 per cent of those in custody.

The CLC said it met with several Labor representatives, including Territory MPs Selena Uibo, Chansey Paech, Dheran Young and Manuel Brown, as well as Federal MP Marion Scrymgour, who told them they were "listening to our concerns and recognised just how serious the impacts of these policies are becoming for our people".

"We want the Australian government to hold the NT government to account, ensure funding received for Aboriginal Territorians benefits us and alleviates our disadvantage, rather than used for other things or to harm us," the CLC said.

"Governments must work with—not against—us to deliver real solutions."

Last week, Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, confirmed she had raised concerns directly with Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro.

"I made very clear the concerns I have in regards to First Nations youths in watch houses and the reintroduction of spithoods," she said.

"The Northern Territory has the worst outcomes when it comes to Closing the Gap. I have listened to the concerns of the First Nations sector, legal organisations and human rights groups."

Experts have condemned the NT government's policies—including lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 10, reintroducing spit hoods in youth detention, and expanding mandatory sentencing—as measures that increase trauma and prison overcrowding while failing to reduce crime.

Ms Finocchiaro has defended the changes, saying she makes "no apologies" for strengthening what she called a "broken system," and expected "the usual offender apologists to criticise our efforts".

Earlier this month, the family of late NT Supreme Court Justice James Henry Muirhead AC QC also called on the Prime Minister to intervene, describing the measures as "regressive actions" which are "ineffective" and "demonstrably harmful".

The CLC said it also held talks with NT Aboriginal Affairs Minister Steve Edgington, who promised consultations in Central Australia and the Barkly on restoring smaller local government councils, and with Acting Police Commissioner Martin Dole, who said the force's new anti-racism strategy would "align with the recommendations from the Kumanjayi Walker coronial and have an implementation plan".