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Children

NT Government urged not to lower age of criminal responsibility

The National Children’s Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Commissioner have urged the Northern Territory Government to reverse its plan next week to introduce a new law to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to ten years.

We must ‘help way earlier’ – united call to address systemic failures of Australia’s youth justice systems

Content type: Media Release
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Joint media release: Justice Reform Initiative and Australian Human Rights Commission 

Law and justice leaders, parliamentarians, First Nations leaders, child safety advocates, community service providers, peak organisations, and people with lived experience of child imprisonment from around Australia will come together for a landmark parliamentary event in Canberra on Thursday.

Australia is failing its children. A ‘tough on crime’ approach to youth justice puts politics before prevention

In an opinion piece published in The Guardian Australian, National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds reflects on the urgent need for child justice reform after the release of a landmark report by the AHRC.

National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds Press Club address

Read the speech to the National Press Club about her major report 'Help Way Earlier!: How Australia can transform child justice and improve safety and wellbeing'.

Improving the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children

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Children's Commissioner welcomes Senate Inquiry into child justice

National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds has welcomed the establishment of a Federal Senate Inquiry into Australia’s child justice system, saying it has come at a critical time to prevent further systemic failures harming children and young people.

Commissioners welcome ongoing investment to end gendered violence

Content type: Media Release
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Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and National Children’s Commissioner welcome the National Cabinet’s funding announcement to end gendered violence in Australia this morning.

A tragic start to National Child Protection Week

Content type: Media Release
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As the launch of National Child Protection Week throws the spotlight on creating better futures where children and young people flourish, the National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds is speaking up for the thousands of children whose futures are bleak because Australian governments do not prioritise their human rights to safety, care and protection. 

Commissioner Hollonds said: “It was a privilege to speak at the launch of National Child Protection Week today, but I did so with a very heavy heart. A second child has died in youth detention in less than a year. 

Call for urgent child justice reforms following death of teenager in WA youth detention centre

Content type: Media Release
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Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss, National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds, and Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay have expressed their sadness and disappointment following the death yesterday of a First Nations teenager who was incarcerated in Western Australia’s Banksia Hill youth detention centre.

A step backwards for child justice and community safety in Queensland

Content type: Media Release
Published:

The Queensland Government’s ‘Community Safety Act’ allowing more children to be locked up in the first instance is another step backwards for child justice and community safety, National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds said. 

“We all want to live in communities where kids can flourish and where everyone is safe, especially children. But this approach to offending by children doesn’t work,” Commissioner Hollonds said.