“Never again”: Key laws behind the Northern Territory Intervention to finally end

After 15 years of operation, key laws sustaining the discriminatory Northern Territory Intervention will end on Sunday. 

The Intervention laws, which suspended the operation of the Racial Discrimination Act, saw the introduction of racist policies such as compulsory income management, blanket bans on alcohol and a sense of loss of community control. 

While most Intervention laws will cease on Sunday, Commonwealth legislation enabling compulsory income management continues. The Albanese government has promised this too will end, but is yet to commit to a timeframe.

Compulsory income management is an ongoing, paternalistic policy that involves the mandatory quarantining of part of a person’s social security payments, restricting a person’s access to cash and dictating what they can and cannot spend money on. Compulsory income control causes harm to families and communities by pushing people further into poverty, and numerous reviews have shown that it fails to achieve its policy objectives.  

The Human Rights Law Centre welcomes the end of the Intervention, and urges the Albanese government to ensure all aspects of the discriminatory laws are scrapped, including compulsory income management. 

Human Rights Law Centre Legal Director, Nick Espie, said: 

“The discriminatory Northern Territory Intervention laws is set to expire, ending a shameful chapter in the treatment of First Nations people in the Northern Territory.  

“This is a time for reflection – on an era of systemic failures, the disempowerment of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory and the silencing of our voices. During these 15 years we have seen the demonising of Aboriginal people and culture and the erosion of self-determination.  

“The Albanese government has promised to abolish the Cashless Debit Card Scheme and all forms of compulsory income management, which still live on in other legislation. These are some of the last paternalistic hangovers from the Intervention and should have been scrapped years ago. The Prime Minister must keep this promise. 

“We all look forward to a future where Aboriginal people and communities are empowered and fully resourced to enable self-determination. Aboriginal people should be front and centre of all decision-making that affects our lives and communities.” 

Media contact:

Evan Schuurman, Media and Communications Manager, 0406 117 937, evan.schuurman@hrlc.org.au