Indigenous groups welcome Northern Territory raising criminal age but say 12 still too young

The Northern Territory government has lifted the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 – a move Aboriginal organisations welcomed while wanting it raised further. Photograph: luoman/Getty Images

Aboriginal groups have given conditional support to the Northern Territory government’s decision to increase the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 years old, but argue children are often still too young to be in detention.

The NT is the first jurisdiction in the country to raise the age of criminal responsibility. The move follows longstanding calls by Indigenous advocates, human rights experts and lawyers to raise the age to at least 14.