Northern Territory Passes Every Child Matters Child Protection Bill

The Northern Territory parliament passed the Care and Protection of Children Legislation Amendment (Every Child Matters) Bill 2026 on Tuesday. The Country Liberal Party government describes the move as the most significant overhaul of the child protection system in a generation, introducing a universal principle for the best interests of children and prioritizing earlier intervention.

The legislation abolishes the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children placement principle, which previously ensured First Nations children remained within their own culture after removal from home. The government asserts these reforms address the root causes of crime and protect vulnerable children, following the April abduction and murder of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby in Alice Springs. The move coincided with the tabling of the Webb-Shanahan review, which detailed departmental failures surrounding that death.

Indigenous leaders and child welfare advocates condemned the bill, arguing it weakens protections and will increase child removals. Critics, including the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, claim the government is using a tragedy for political point scoring. Opponents specifically highlighted a new two-year time limit for families to regain legal custody, warning that long housing waiting lists will prevent reunifications and create a pathway into youth detention. While LNP Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price supported the laws, federal minister Murray Watt stated the commonwealth does not plan to intervene.