A proposal from the country's top legal officials to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12 has been slammed by First Nations advocates.
Lawyers, human rights organisations and advocates have criticised what they said was a "nothing announcement" from state and territory Attorneys-General on Friday and pressured them to focus on raising the age to at least 14-years-old.
"The medical evidence is clear. Children in prison is always going to be harmful. But 14 years old is the absolute youngest age a child should ever be subjected to the criminal legal system," the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services Executive Officer, Jamie McConnachie told NITV News.
"This is just kicking the can down the road — we're sick and tired of meaningless statements. It's not an actual commitment to do anything.
"That's three years of absolute inaction."
Change the Record's co-chair Cheryl Axleby said the decision failed to address key issues on criminal responsibility.
NATSILS Executive Officer Jamie McConnachie urged Attorney Generals around the country to commit to lowering the age of criminal responsibility. (Supplied: NATSILS)
"This ‘nothing announcement’ for a proposal to not even raise the age to the bare minimum is devastating for kids who are being harmed by the criminal legal system, and their families," she said.
The calls are echoed by the, citing concerns many young people don't fully understand the consequences of their actions.
Federal govt: 'a decision for each jurisdiction'
A spokesperson for the federal government said raising the age of criminal responsibility is up to the discretion of the states and territories.
In a statement to NITV News, the office of the federal Attorney-General Michaelia Cash said the wellbeing of incarcerated children is a priority.
"The Australian Government continues to engage with jurisdictions to ensure treatment of young people in detention meets all expectations for the safety and protection of children under government care," said a spokesperson.
The ACT is the only jurisdiction to commit to raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years, while Western Australia has indicated it supports a similar move.
The federal government, along with states and territories, has agreed to reduce the number of young incarcerated Indigenous people by at least 30 percent by 2031.
The latest report card showed positive signs of improvement, with data revealing a seven percent drop in incarceration rates of young people.
