'Method of torture': promised return of spit hoods in the NT have sparked outrage

Community advocates are calling for the Country Liberal Party government to listen to community-led solutions when it comes to youth crime in the territory.

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Latoya Rule's brother died while on remand in prison after being restrained by a spit hood in 2016. Credit: Australian Human Rights Commission.

Rule, a Wiradjuri and Māori person, is a researcher at Jumbunna Institute at the University of Technology Sydney.

They lead the National Ban Spit Hoods Coalition from Jumbunna, which has pushed to successfully prohibit the practice in South Australia and New South Wales.

After winning the Northern Territory election on Saturday, the Country Liberal Party announced that .

Rule said that the coalition would not be deterred by the developments in the Top End.

"We will not be intimidated - we simply can't afford to be when ten year old children are at risk of suffocation and death."

'Child abuse'

In justifying the proposed changes, incoming Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said that she wants to hold children accountable for the crimes they are committing.

"We’re lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 10 so that young people can be held accountable and that appropriate consequences for their age are delivered, such as boot camps," Ms Finocchiaro said.

The proposed changes have sparked outrage from Aboriginal community leaders, children's rights advocate groups and human rights organisations.

Rule is one of the community advocates condemning the proposal, labelling the use of spit hoods 'child abuse'.
"Recent news from the Northern Territory's Country Liberal Party shows us that without legislation outlawing [spit hoods], degradation and torture can and will be common practice in the NT," they said.

Rule cited the United Nation's concern about the use of spit hoods in Australia and the consequent recommended legislated ban.

"When other jurisdictions in Australia have heeded this warning, NT CLP have instead committed another generation of children to being dehumanised by adults," they told NITV.

Indigenous rights campaigner and Gomeroi woman Kacey Teerman from Amnesty International has condemned the newly elected government's approach to tackling youth crime.

"Lowering the age of criminal responsibility and using methods of torture is a serious breach of children's rights.
"We strongly condemn the CLP's dangerous decision to lower the age of criminal responsibility and reintroduce the use of spithoods - a cruel practice that Amnesty International has labelled as torture.

"These harsh measures will only cause more harm to vulnerable children and won't make our communities safer," Miss Teerman said.

Ms Teerman has called on the CLP government to listen to community-led solutions when it comes to youth crime in the territory.

"The way forward is through humane, evidence-based solutions that protect our children and genuinely make our communities safe.

"Amnesty International calls on the CLP government to reverse its decision and to commit to adhering to human rights law in its youth justice policies," she said.

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3 min read
Published 28 August 2024 2:30pm
Updated 28 August 2024 3:56pm
By Bronte Charles
Source: NITV


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