Overview
Mission Australia welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the draft Bill and share our deep concern that it does not put the Child Protection system in Northern Territory on the right path.
We support action to keep children safe, yet the Bill will create significantly expanded powers for the Northern Territory Government to intervene in family life without first ensuring families can access the housing, therapeutic support, rehabilitation, counselling and early intervention services needed to safely care for children.
The current child protection system is under significant strain and is not adequately equipped to keep all children safe, due to under-resourcing, workforce shortages, and similar pressures across the broader community services sector.
At the same time, we are concerned that the Bill lowers the level of concern needed before the Government can intervene in family life. From our work with children and families across the Northern Territory, we know that many of the issues driving child protection involvement are closely connected to poverty, housing stress, service shortages and intergenerational disadvantage rather than a lack of care or love for children.
The Bill risks increasing surveillance and coercive intervention in the lives of families already under significant social and economic pressure, without ensuring they have access to the support they need.