Our vision for the NT – ‘a fairer, more equal and sustainable future for all Territorians’
We are advocating for four priorities ahead of the 2024 NT election. We believe Government should be partnering with community to achieve these priorities to help ensure a fairer, more equal and sustainable future for all Territorians. For a long time, a range of systems have worked against people facing generational disadvantage- it is time for change. We must learn from the past, listen to community and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and build on promising practices.
Each priority includes recommendations for the Northern Territory Government to take as steps towards achieving overarching outcomes. Many of the recommendations are not new, but have been called for by Territorians, ACCOs and the community sector for a number of years. Jesuit Social Services’ priorities include:
Priority 1: A humane youth justice system grounded in prevention and early intervention where the rights and unique needs of children are protected
- Commit to raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 in line with UN Recommendations
- Commit to embedding cross-service trauma-informed care and restorative practices throughout justice, education and child protection systems
- Reinvigorate the bipartisan commitment to fully implementing the Aboriginal Justice Agreement.
Priority 2: Self-determining, resilient Aboriginal communities
- Commit to progressing Treaty, including ensuring appropriate resourcing and broad consultation to establish a Treaty Framework as determined by community
- Establish mechanisms that embed genuine consultation and partnerships, Aboriginal voice and leadership at all levels of government decision-making
- Consult with local organisations to determine and meet resourcing needs required to build organisational capacity and effectiveness, including training, regular professional development and supervision.
Priority 3: A responsive service sector capable of meeting the needs of children and families
- Invest in programs not prisons by significantly increasing funding for evidence-based, community safety approaches
- Commit to long-term investment in Justice Reinvestment initiatives across the Northern Territory
- Fund the full cost of quality service delivery, including infrastructure, management and administration costs and adopt adequate indexation that is consistent across funded organisations, is published annually and reflects increase in costs incurred by funded organisations, as called for by NTCOSS.
Priority 4: A collaborative and just transition to protecting our Country and community
- Act urgently to minimise the health harms of climate change, recognising the strong evidence that links extreme heat to morbidity and mortality
- Legislate a Climate Change Act with a specific focus on climate justice and a target of net zero emissions by 2050
- Allocate funding for regional mitigation and adaptation, including funding to consult, develop and implement regional planning.
