Royal Commission and Board of Inquiry into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory - Findings and Recommendations

RECOMMENDATIONS - VOLUME 1

Chapter 1 – The work of the Commission

Recommendation 1.1

The Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments establish a program of community engagement to visit communities and communicate the outcomes and recommendations of this report.

Chapter 7 – Community engagement

Recommendation 7.1

The Northern Territory Government and the Commonwealth Governments commit to a ‘place- based’ approach for the implementation of the relevant recommendations of this report in partnership with local communities. The partnership should be built on the principles of mutual respect, shared commitment, shared responsibility and good faith. The location of the ‘place’ could be a single community, a group of communities or a region.

Recommendation 7.2

The purpose of the partnership should be to reach agreement on the strategies, policies and programs needed to provide sustained positive outcomes for children and young people at each ‘place’.

Recommendation 7.3

The Northern Territory and Commonwealth Governments immediately engage with Aboriginal community representatives to negotiate the broad terms for the partnership and its implementation across the Northern Territory built on the following principles:

  1. the best interest of the child
  2. local solutions for local problems
  3. local decision-making
  4. the centrality of family and community to the wellbeing of children and young people
  5. the Northern Territory Government has the ultimate responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all Northern Territory children and young people, and
  6. shared responsibility and accountability.