Elders in the Northern Territory are reporting that police are using caged ute trays to transport children.

Police cages are a ute with a cage on the back and a blue tarpaulin covering it. No seat belts. No lighting. No heating or air conditioning.

Amnesty campaigners have consistently fielded reports from Northern Territory community members of their children being locked up and driven around in police cages for more than five hours. They are thrown around in the cage. They suffer in the heat. 

Treating children like this is against international standards. Transporting people in motor vehicles without seatbelts is against Australian law. But when we raised it with the government, they said they weren’t worried about it. 

When we raise our voices together, governments act. Amnesty supporters shined a light on the Queensland Government’s practice of imprisoning 17-year-olds in adult prisons. Thanks to you, the government changed its laws so no 17-year-olds would be sent to adult prisons.

Together, we can force the government to act again. Sign the petition and demand the Northern Territory stop transporting children in ‘police cages’.