I am as appalled as everyone else at the abuse in the Northern Territory youth justice system revealed on Four Corners last night. There can be no doubt that this reflects deep systemic problems in the youth justice system and is not simply the actions of a few rogue people.
The revelations also call into question the competency and conduct of the Northern Territory Government.
I fully support Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s speedy decision to establish a Royal Commission into the situation. But I also lament the disregard that was shown to the findings of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Considering that over 90 per cent of youth in detention in the Northern Territory are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, then it is not unreasonable to speculate that if the earlier Royal Commission’s recommendations had indeed been implemented then we probably wouldn’t be needing another one.