Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has written to NT Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby, warning that the NT government’s law-and-order reforms may be inconsistent with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Rowland highlighted that Legal Aid NT and the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency are struggling to meet demand, leaving vulnerable groups — particularly children and First Nations peoples — at risk of being unrepresented in criminal proceedings. Boothby acknowledged the pressures but argued that victims of crime suffer when defendants lack representation, calling on Legal Aid to improve its operations. The dispute underscores growing tensions over funding, sustainability, and fairness in the NT justice system.