NT enacts 'significant overhaul' of child protection system

NT government passes child protection reforms in 'significant overhaul' Wed 22 Jul 2026 at 8:35am , updatedWed 22 Jul 2026 at 8:37am In short: The NT government passed child protection law reforms in parliament late last night. The changes mark a "significant overhaul" to the NT's child protection system, which the child protection minister says will help families "to turn things around". The changes have been criticised by Aboriginal leaders and human rights organisations. The Northern Territory parliament has passed legislative changes to the child protection system, with the Country Liberal Party (CLP) describing its new laws as "the most significant overhaul of the Territory's child protection system in a generation". The amendment, which has been subject to criticism from Aboriginal leaders and human rights organisations, passed at 10:29pm on Tuesday. NT Child Protection Minister Robyn Cahill said children had historically been "failed by a system that acted too late", but claimed "these reforms fix that". "Tonight we didn't just say every child matters — we put it into law," she said in a statement. "We are intervening earlier, backing families to turn things around, and keeping Aboriginal children connected to kin and culture where it is safe to do so." In a statement, the CLP said the bill had "introduced proactive efforts requirements so that families get support sooner". Despite critics raising concerns the bill could weaken the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle and lead to more child removals, the NT government said its amendment "modernises" the policy "to keep children connected to kin and culture". The Aboriginal Child Placement Principle underpins the NT's current child protection legislation, which acknowledges connection to country, culture and community as fundamental for the safety, wellbeing and identity of Indigenous children. The CLP has previously said the new bill would introduce a "universal principle" which it said would ensure decisions are made in "the best interests of every child", "regardless of background". NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said the NT child protection system was failing Territory children. "One thing was for sure, the child protection system could not stay as it was," Mrs Finocchiaro said. Prior to the changes being debated, hundreds gathered outside Parliament House to protest, including representatives from legal services, women's domestic violence organisations and families with lived experience of the child protection system. Earlier during Tuesday's parliamentary debate, an independent review into the family circumstances of Kumanjayi Little Baby before her tragic death was also tabled. The five-year-old girl was allegedly abducted from a house in an Alice Springs town camp and murdered in April this year. The report found serious departmental failures over how her case was managed and made seven recommendations, including the need for a "comprehensive reset" of the department's operating model.