News
NAAJA settles with former CEO
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency Ltd (NAAJA) has reached a settlement with its former chief executive officer, Ms Priscilla Atkins, in relation to adverse action proceedings in the Federal Court. As part of the settlement, Ms Atkins, resigned as chief...
NAAJA appoints independent directors and Barkly director
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) directors are pleased to announce the appointment of three new independent directors and the appointment of a new Barkly regional director to join its existing board of four Aboriginal member...
More legislation, more harm – NAAJA expresses concerns over police and corrections legislation
The Northern Territory Government introduced two new bills to Parliament last week that will expand police powers and take steps towards privatising the prison system. Neither bill was made public prior to being introduced into Parliament. No consultation or scrutiny...
Correction to Action for Alice 2020 Facebook post
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) is aware of a Facebook post on 19 February 2025 on the Action for Alice 2020 site referring to a young person bailed to attend the funeral of a family member. The post incorrectly stated that the young person was...
Aboriginal people continue to be locked up at record levels putting lives at risk
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) remains concerned by the ongoing record levels of incarceration of Aboriginal people across the Northern Territory and has renewed calls for urgent reform to address systemic inequalities in the criminal justice...
Playing politics with Aboriginal children can only cause further harm
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) is calling on the Northern Territory Government to urgently rethink proposed changes to the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007. The government is preparing to rush through a bill that will weaken the...
Record numbers of Aboriginal people facing jail
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) has reported record numbers of calls to its custody notification service (CNS) in December 2024. The CNS was established to reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody and in response to...
NAAJA announces new chair
The North Australia Aboriginal Justice Agency Limited (NAAJA) has announced the appointment of Theresa Roe as its new chair. Ms Carol Dowling from Katherine has been appointed as the deputy chair. Ms Roe and Ms Dowling were appointed at the first directors’ meeting...
NAAJA lawyer named national First Nations junior lawyer of the year
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) has proudly acknowledged the announcement of Mr Ganur Maynard as the 2024 national First Nations junior lawyer of the year. Mr Maynard, a criminal lawyer with NAAJA’s Darwin office, received his award at the...
NAAJA looks to the future with new governance
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) has announced new governance arrangements that will set it up for the challenges of the future. These include a new constitution and board appointments. NAAJA is a community controlled charity with offices across...
Public apology to Priscilla Atkins, chief executive officer of NAAJA
In Atkins v North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency Ltd [2024] FCA 686, the Federal Court made findings that, between November 2022 and February 2023, NAAJA took unlawful adverse action against its chief executive officer, Priscilla Atkins and thereby contravened...
Custody notifications skyrocket
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in October 2024 reported the highest number of calls to its custody notification service (CNS) since it commenced in 2019. The CNS was established to reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody...