The fallout from the Northern Territory Government's controversial child protection laws has continued, with the national First Nations social justice and children's commissioners the latest to criticise the legislation.
The amendments to the Care and Protection of Children Act passed this week after the Country Liberal Party (CLP) Government argued the reforms were needed to put child safety at the centre of the system.
The law introduces a new "Universal Principle", which the CLP says will ensure the best interests of every child are the primary consideration regardless of background.
The reforms also alter the operation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP), which was established to ensure Aboriginal children removed from their families maintain connections to family, community, culture and Country.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss said it was clear the bill would not keep children in the Northern Territory safe. Her comments mirror those of numerous child safety experts, Aboriginal organisations and legal groups, who have argued the government moved too quickly and failed to consult with Aboriginal communities properly.
"First Peoples want our kids growing up strong in community and culture, which is the key to a brighter future. But this Bill will not keep our children safe," Commissioner Kiss said.
"The Child Placement Principle, which has been in place for a long time now, exists because generations of our children have already paid the price of being separated from family, culture and community. Weakening that safeguard is a step backwards."
The government has maintained the new laws will improve child safety, and has been quick to criticise opponents.
"This week the Northern Territory Parliament passed landmark legislation to improve the safety of the most vulnerable members of our society — our children," Child Protection Minister Robyn Cahill said in a statement.
"This Government was elected to fix a child protection system that has failed Territory children for too long. The evidence of that failure is not contested - every witness before the Scrutiny Committee agreed the system needs urgent reform. Where we differ is that we are not prepared to wait."
Asked on Wednesday night on ABC's 7.30 program if the bill made it more likely Aboriginal children would be removed from their families, the Minister said: "Absolutely not."
"There has been zero lowering of the threshold," she said. "In actual fact, what it will do is make a Department more accountable to the work they have to do to keep those families connected and together."
However, National Children's Commissioner Deb Tsorbaris said the legislation would ultimately weaken First Nations children's connection to community and culture.
"These changes undermine the safeguards designed to protect children's identity and sense of belonging," Commissioner Tsorbaris said. "The government should focus on evidence-based reform that upholds children's rights, strengthens families and supports communities to keep children safe."
Commissioner Kiss agreed, arguing: "If the NT Government is serious about child safety, it should invest in First Peoples-led solutions, family support and culturally safe care."
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On Thursday, National Indigenous Times reported the independent Aboriginal chair of the Northern Territory's Children and Families Tripartite Forum, Rob McPhee, became the second Aboriginal leader to resign this month in response to the CLP Government's policies.
Since the CLP's election in 2024, Mr McPhee has argued it's "become increasingly evident" that the government "is not committed to genuine partnership with the Forum on significant policy and legislative reform".
"Rather than drawing on the expertise of frontline services," he said in a statement, "Aboriginal organisations, researchers and practitioners, major decisions have increasingly been developed within government with limited engagement and little regard for the evidence presented by those working directly with children and families".
In response, Ms Cahill labelled Mr McPhee's move a "media stunt shrouded under the guise of a political resignation".
"It is a decision to jump on the bandwagon of other political advocates who have spent months trying to undermine that reform," she said.
His resignation follows that of Northern Territory Children's Commissioner Shahleena Musk, who stepped down earlier this month citing concerns about the Government's approach to governance, transparency and child protection reform.
