Having a platform to bring forward the lived experience of Indigenous children and young people is a key tenet of the new First Nations children's commissioner.

In an exclusive interview with National Indigenous Times, Lil Gordon, the acting National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People, spoke on the recently established role, which advocates say is a "pivotal step in realising a voice and facilitator" for Indigenous children and their families to ensure their "safety and protection".

"At the heart of it," Commissioner Gordon says, "is how [are] we really going to look at a platform that empowers the voice of our children and young people to really bring forward their lived experience."

Set up after significant campaigning by Indigenous groups, the Ngemba woman from Brewarrina, NSW, has taken temporary charge of a role amid an increasing number of Indigenous children being held in out-of-home care (OOHC) and detention.

With over 34 years of experience working in and alongside Aboriginal communities, her latest role sees her facing a crisis some experts have called another Stolen Generation.

The latest data reveals several key metrics, including OOHC and juvenile detention, have been on the rise, with some jurisdictions openly introducing laws that have exacerbated this. Nevertheless, Commissioner Gordon said it is important to highlight the positives for First Nations children.

"What is the aspirations for our young people? What can they shine through? What do they want to show and aspire to?" she asked.

"It's making sure that we have and build a platform in a way that we can make sure our young people have those voices in a way that is positive for them, but also to make sure that when we are looking to engage."

The federal budget has set aside $3.1 million for the office of the Commissioner. SNAICC chief executive Catherine Liddle told National Indigenous Times last week: "Any room that you walk into, people are saying, 'Where is the accountability? Where is the accountability on governments for what is happening to our children?' That is the vehicle that will do that."

Commissioner Gordon said the role was about the collaboration between the various jurisdictions - who manage youth justice and child protection - and the Commonwealth, who have been under pressure from Indigenous organisations to pull more levers to prevent the number of children in OOHC and prison from continuing to rise.

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"How do we help drive or look at what might be some standards across jurisdictions that we can adhere to?" she asked.

"It is exploring what options are there for the Commonwealth, maybe to put a little bit more pressure on jurisdictions …it's an easy thing to say, jurisdictions have responsibility for child justice and child protection and therefore it's how we work with the jurisdictions.

"But there has to be a deeper way for us to think about what does that look like, to be able to really put some pressure on to make sure that they are looking after our kids in the way that they should be in those spaces."

Several states and territories have enacted laws over the last year that have seen or will see, more children be held in remand - directly contradicting the Closing the Gap agreement. Despite the federal government long arguing the states needed to do more to stop children being held behind bars, the Prime Minister told a radio station he agreed with Victoria's new "kneejerk" bail laws.

Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe said the latest Closing the Gap number reveals a "year of betrayal", whilst Coalition of Peaks lead convenor Pat Turner said this month that the regression of key targets is "deeply concerning" and needs a coordinated and meaningful approach.

"Frankly, state and territory governments need to start pulling their weight," Ms Turner said.

Commissioner Gordon said despite the talk of levers that could be enacted by the Commonwealth, "we haven't really fully identified those specifically".

"You don't necessarily want to hold kind of levers over people," she said.

"But when the time comes… [we must] be able to go, 'look, this probably isn't right. What's happening here? It goes against all of these things.' We might now need to enact this to get that started.

"It is easy to say the jurisdictions have that, but I truly believe the Commonwealth has a role and can absolutely influence those areas and those outcomes."

The Commissioner's role comes in the wake of an election where some Indigenous policies could change with a change in government. The Coalition has vowed to slash public service jobs, including the Ambassador for First Nations People, Justin Mohamed.

Federal Opposition spokesperson for Indigenous affairs, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, has criticised the First Nations Child Commissioner's position, questioning how appointing "a person of similar racial identity to the children of concern" in itself would improve anything.

"I have little faith that setting up this particular role is going to make any difference or move a dial for the benefit of Indigenous children in this country," she said last year.

Commissioner Gordon argued that "representation matters".

"It matters in spaces where we are seeing the adverse effects for Aboriginal and Torres, Strait Island, children, young people—disproportionately so," she said.

"There's so many statistics that can point to the fact that these roles are needed…but the elevation of this role at a national level is what our people are seeing, and so, therefore, they're seeing that government are taking this seriously enough to know that this role is warranted and that there needs to be change."

It remains to be seen how long Ms Gordon will be in the role, with National Indigenous Time understanding the hunt for a permanent Commissioner is ongoing. Regardless, Ms Gordon says the announcement of the role is vital in the long run for Indigenous children nationwide.

"It's an opportunity in the right direction," she said.