Justice Matrix · Case profile

NT Youth Justice and Related Legislation Amendment Act 2023

Northern Territory, AustraliaNT Legislative Assembly2023

AdverseMedium precedent

Strategic issue

What was at stake

Raising then lowering age of criminal responsibility

Key holding

What the court decided

NT briefly raised the age to 12, then reversed to 10 under political pressure. Demonstrates fragility of youth justice reform.

Authorities

Statutes and cases cited

Statutes & treaties

§ Youth Justice Act 2005 (NT)
§ NT Youth Justice and Related Legislation Amendment Act 2023

Issue areas

Categories

ntpolitical-reversalraise-the-age

Provenance

Source: partner_contribution
Contributor: —
Verified: Pending review
Added: 3/13/2026

What communities built instead

Australian programs and evidence that answer this ruling with a real alternative to detention.

Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory - Final Report
Commissioner Margaret White AO and Commissioner Mick Gooda · Royal Commission · 2017
Youth justice in Australia 2023–24, About
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) · 2023
Children's Rights Report 2023
Australian Human Rights Commission · Australian Human Rights Commission · 2023
Raise the Age: Evidence for Criminal Responsibility Reform
Raise the Age Campaign · Raise the Age Campaign · 2023
Youth Detention Population in Australia 2024
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare · Australian Institute of Health and Welfare · 2024

Similar cases

Linked campaigns

Northern Territory Age Regression - Return to Age 10
Northern Territory, Australia · active
Victoria Youth Justice Act 2024 - Age 12 by 2025
Victoria, Australia · active
Raise the Age National Campaign
Australia (National) · active
ACT Raises Age to 14 - July 2025
Australian Capital Territory, Australia · active
Raise the Age WA
Western Australia, Australia · active
SA Raise the Age Coalition
South Australia, Australia · active

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