Civil liberties chief attacks youth curfew plan

The president of the Australian Council of Civil Liberties says a youth curfew proposed by the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party (CLP) is discriminatory and contravenes young people's rights.

The CLP has promised to introduce a curfew for young offenders under 17 if it wins the Territory election.

But Terry Mr O'Gorman says young people have a right to associate in public places and should be free to go out at night.

He says the curfew would particularly affect the Territory's young Indigenous population.

"Let that be clear that that will be the consequence and if people realise that's the consequence then let them vote for this particular party that is proposing it, knowing full well that the impacts will hit most harsh the black population of the Northern Territory," he said.

The council also says the plan gives too much power to police.

Under the plan police would have the power to decide who is subject to a curfew and for how long.

Mr O'Gorman says that is a dangerous proposal.

"To give the police the right to decide who can hang around in public places and who can be carted off is to invite the sort of abuse of police power that almost invariably happens when you give police wide discretion that is in effect unable to be controlled," he said.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Tue, 07 Jun 2005
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia Web)
Copyright: 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Email: comments@your.abc.net.au
Website: http://www.abc.net.au/