Policy and law reform
NAAJA contributes to law and policy reform by making submissions and appearing as witnesses in inquiries and consultation processes regarding justice issues in the Northern Territory. This includes law and policy areas directly impacting our clients and broader government policy including housing, employment and welfare, youth detention, alcohol, and health.
Our work in making submissions and appearing as witnesses:
- draws on the authority and cultural authority of an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation
- is consistent with our meaningful commitment to developing cultural competency
- connects with the input of experts, professionals, and front-line workers across our criminal, youth, and civil law practices and programs such as throughcare and community legal education.
NAAJA also contributes to a significant number of committees and consultation processes for external bodies including legal professional bodies, government agencies, and law reform bodies.
You can contact the Policy team which sits in the Strategic Policy and Communications Team via: policy@naaja.org.au Â
A list of NAAJA submissions
- Inquiry into racism hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 1 June 2026
- Inquiry into the Care and Protection of Children Legislation Amendment (Every Child Matters) Bill 2026 (NT), 22 May 2026
- Sentencing Amendment (Murder) Bill 2026 (NT), 16 Feb 2026
- Bail Amendment Bill 2026 (NT), 16 Feb 2026
- Inquiry into Australia’s Youth Justice and Incarceration System, 9 Jan 2026
2025 Submissions
- Integrity and Ethics Commissioner Bill 2025 (NT), 20 Nov 2025
- Anti-Discrimination Amendment Bill 2025 (NT), 9 Oct 2025
- Review of the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007 (NT), 2 May 2025
- Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led review of Closing the Gap, 1 May 2025
- Domestic and Family Violence and Victims Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, 4 Apr 2025
- Attorney-General Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, 28 Mar 2025
Previous Submissions
- Submission—Inquiry into Australia’s youth justice and incarceration system, 10 Oct 2024
- Submission—Inquiry into compulsory income management, 10 May 2024
- Submission—NT Police review, Dec 2023
- Submission—NAAJA Independent review of the NLAP, 2023
- Submission—Inquiry into Murdered and Not Missing First Nations Women and Children, Dec 2022
- Submission—Inquiry into community safety, support services and job opportunities in the NT, Nov 2022
- Submission—Review of the legislation and justice response to domestic and family violence, Nov 2022
- Submission—NAAJA appendix 1 Community Justice Program groups sub DFV review, Sept 2022
- Submission—Discussion paper for the Mental Health and Related Services Act 1998 review, June 2021
- Submission—Mandatory Sentencing and Community – Based Sentencing Options, Nov 2020
- Social Security – Administration Amendment – Income Management to Cashless Debit Card Transition – Bill 2019 Cth – Part 2, 30 Oct 2020
- Submission—Committee’s Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities, 27 Oct 2020
- Submission—Draft Aboriginal Justice Agreement, Apr 2020
- Submission—Senate Community Affairs References Committee Inquiry Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Dec 2019
- Social Security – Administration Amendment – Income Management to Cashless Debit Card Transition – Bill 2019 Cth – Part 1, 21 Oct 2019
- Liquor Bill, June 2019
- APO NT / NAAJA—Joint Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, 1 Nov 2018
- FASD: A Justice Perspective by Priscilla Atkins, 31 May 2018
- Closing Speech—Top End FASD Forum by John Rawnsley, 31 May 2018
- Modernisation of the Anti Discrimination Act, Feb 2018