Category Archives: Northern Territory politics

Territory governments regain right to make assisted dying laws after Senate vote

Posted on by

A bipartisan push in the upper house means the ACT and Northern Territory are free to legislate on euthanasia after a 25-year ban

The territory governments have had their rights to make laws on euthanasia returned after 25 years, with a bipartisan push in the federal Senate overturning a Howard-era ban on the final night of the parliament for the year.

The Australian Capital Territory will begin considering euthanasia laws early in 2023, after the repeal of the assisted dying ban was greeted with cheers and clapping in the Senate late on Thursday.

Continue reading...

Parks director should be accountable for ‘offence’ to Kakadu sacred site, protection authority says

Posted on by

AAPA seeks leave to appeal against NT supreme court decision that found director is exempt from prosecution under state’s laws

A fight to hold Parks Australia to account over a walking track built through a sacred site in the Kakadu national park could be heading to the high court after a lower court found a Northern Territory law did not apply to the federal organisation.

The Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) has sought leave to appeal against a decision by the NT supreme court in September which found the director of Parks Australia was exempt from prosecution under the NT Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act.

Sign up for our free morning newsletter and afternoon email to get your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Northern Territory moves to raise age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12

Posted on by

Government says authorities will refer children under 12 and their families to parenting and behavioural change programs to break the cycle of offending

The Northern Territory government is seeking to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 years old to 12 years old.

The Labor government introduced the legislation to parliament on Thursday, saying authorities would now refer children under the age of 12 and their families to intensive parenting and behavioural change programs to break the cycle of offending.

Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning

Continue reading...

Half of 24 new Covid cases in NSW infectious while in community as NT flags extending Darwin lockdown

Posted on by

New coronavirus cases in New South Wales include aged care worker and healthcare worker, while the NT records one new case

New South Wales recorded 24 new cases of Covid, including an aged care worker believed to be unvaccinated and a second healthcare worker, as the state’s coronavirus outbreak rose to 195.

The premier, Gladys Berejiklian, expressed concern that “around half” of the new cases on Thursday were out in the community while infectious and urged anyone with symptoms to get tested and isolate.

Continue reading...

Australia Covid update: outbreaks sweep nation as NSW reports 30 new infections, and Perth, NT and Qld record local cases

Posted on by

Sydney’s Bondi cluster grows to 110, Virgin Australia flight attendant tests positive, Darwin locks down, WA imposes restrictions and Queensland reports outbreak of Alpha variant

New South Wales reported 30 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday as a string of new outbreaks across Australia forced states and territories to introduce sweeping new restrictions, and prompted urgent calls for vaccine eligibility to be widened.

On the first full day of lockdown for the entire greater Sydney region since May 2020, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the city to prepare for a further increase in cases over the coming days as the Bondi cluster which sparked the new outbreak grew to 110.

Continue reading...

Northern Territory election: Labor claims victory but majority hangs in the balance

Posted on by

NT will have to wait at least another day to find out if Michael Gunner’s team has polled enough votes to form a majority government

Michael Gunner’s Labor team is expected to retain government in the Northern Territory, where counting continues in a knife-edge election.

The Northern Territory will have to wait at least another day to find out if incumbent Labor has polled enough votes to form a majority government.

Continue reading...

Cyclone Trevor: racism claims denied as Northern Territory begins clean-up

Posted on by
  • Claims fly-in fly-out workers given better accommodation than Indigenous evacuees
  • Cyclone Veronica continues to threaten WA’s Pilbara region

As the Northern Territory begins its big mop-up after Cyclone Trevor, local authorities have hosed down racism claims concerning evacuation efforts.

Trevor forced mass evacuations before it made landfall on Saturday morning as a category four system, with destructive winds gusting up to 250km/h.

Continue reading...