In its annual assessment of human rights practices in more than 100 countries last year, Human Rights Watch (HRW) drew attention to Australia's reversals of the rights of children in its criminal justice system.

HRW said in its World Report 2025 that Queensland and Western Australia have been “detaining children in facilities designed for adults”, while the Northern Territory government lowered the age of criminal responsibility from 12 years to 10.

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It said while Australia generally protects citizens’ rights, its record “is marred by some key human rights concerns”, which include “its treatment of children in the criminal justice system”.

Queensland launched its youth crackdown in 2023 when, under a Labor government, it twice suspended its Human Rights Act 2019 to pass a breach of bail offence law and to........

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