Thorpe is now calling for stronger federal frameworks for justice policy, pointing to evidence of abuse and neglect occurring in child prisons across the nation, and increasing politicisation of youth offending across states and territories, which she says in driving punitive policies that lack an evidence base. 

Thorpe has pointed to recent revelations of child abuse in QLD watchouses, of child sexual abuse at Tasmania’s Ashley detention facility, the use of force and coercive control of children at Unit 18 in WA, the push to reintroduce spithoods for children in the NT, and NSWs move earlier this year to incarcerate more children on remand, which mirrors the changes to youth bail laws announced by Premier Allan this morning.

Thorpe says that while federal governments have often shirked responsibility for justice reform, claiming it is a state responsibility, ongoing human rights abuses in all jurisdictions oblige the federal government to intervene more decisively.

She says that an urgent focus of a federal framework should be on provision of adequate health and mental health care in custodial settings, and diverting children away from custody and into support services focused on their welfare, not punishment. 

Quotes attributable to Lidia Thorpe, Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung independent Victorian Senator:

“This is a weak backdown from Allan, but no surprise from a Labor government”. 

“Across the country we're seeing Labor governments cave to media and Coalition fear-mongering, and go against what the evidence says will make communities safer and help disadvantaged kids.”

“Prison simply doesn’t work to rehabilitate, deter or protect communities in the long run. Jailing children increases the risk they'll reoffend in future, often in more serious ways. It entrenches disadvantage and exacerbates underlying issues. There's clear evidence for this.”

“We need to remember that most of these children have disabilities or cognitive impairments, are severely disadvantaged and have histories of trauma. They are children that need care, not more abuse and neglect.”

“And we’ve witnessed the most horrific child abuse in these government child prisons – small girls bashed by grown men, children sexually abused, locked for days in isolation, children hanging themselves as guards watch movies.” 

"This isn’t about one or two bad states – this is a national crisis.”

“In this country, governments spent $855m on youth detention in 2022-2023: nearly $3000 per day on each child that is incarcerated. This increases children’ chance of being sent to adult prison, and that system costs over $6 billion a year."

"Imagine the good we could do for children, their families and the broader community if that level of resourcing was put into building advantage and lifting children up.”

“The evidence-based solutions that have been proven to break the cycle of incarceration remain desperately under-resourced."

"Remember that the Allan government recently cut funding for a youth support service crime prevention program. They are making the wrong choices for children.”

“Advocates have been calling for the federal government to lead a national approach to justice reform, like they do in other issues like environment and disability, but the government has failed to act. I am now strongly focused on that.”

"I am calling on the Prime Minister, the new Indigenous Australians Minister, the Attorney General to act now. They need to reign in the states and start leading positive change.” 

“Albanese, Dreyfus and Minister McCarthy are witnessing a national crisis unfold, they’re watching children be horrifically abused in prison.”

"They need to work with First Peoples, and the health and community sectors, to create strong federal frameworks that hold the states and territories accountable and stop the abuse. They need to prioritise care, wellbeing and rehabilitation for children.” 

"We’ve seen how the government can bring together state ministers. They should get all the health and social services ministers together, bring in First Nations leaders and experts and come up with some new solutions here.”

“These three Labor politicians have a responsibility to stop this child abuse.”