The CLP Finocchiaro Government has shut down a censure motion brought against it by an independent Indigenous MLA in Parliament, who said the government was “contributing to increasingly unsafe communities across every part of the Northern Territory” with its unilateral policies.

Independent Member for Mulka Yingiya Guyula brought the censure motion Tuesday afternoon during Question Time, which is typically brought against a government to condemn the government’s policies and triggers debate in the Chamber, including providing a chance for the government to defend its agenda.

Mr Guyula said the censure motion was being brought to condemn the government for “their gross neglect to consult and work with Aboriginal leaders, communities and organisations to create solutions to current problems of crime and disadvantage”.

“And, their implementation of laws and policies that significantly increase the incarceration of Aboriginal people in inadequate and dangerous conditions without any focus on addressing underlying issues, rehabilitation, or pathways for community healing,” he said.

“These actions by the government are contributing to increasingly unsafe communities across every part of the Northern Territory.”

But Leader of Government Business Steve Edgington shut down the motion immediately with no debate. He said the government was carrying out its agenda to “reduce crime, rebuild the economy and restore the Territory lifestyle” and would not allow debate on the issues raised by Mr Guyula because it was too busy “continu[ing] to support Territorians who elected us on that platform”.

The censure motion comes days after the Territory’s four land councils held a rare joint media conference to condemn the CLP for “overtly racist” crime policies it says unfairly target Indigenous Territorians.

The land councils called for an independent inquiry into systemic racism in the NT Police, as well as an audit for all government spending on Indigenous disadvantage, while also suggesting Indigenous Territorians were being left out of economic development.

Northern Land Council chair Matthew Ryan said on Thursday that Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro was running an “appalling” government that failed to meet with land councils, communities and Aboriginal leaders before making decisions.

“It’s very appalling, disappointing to all Aboriginal people from right across Northern Territory,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the government continues to fail. [They] create their own policies to suit them, and the pastoralists, or whoever that may be.

“It’s disgraceful to be honest. We’re seeing high numbers of incarcerations, [but not] the opportunities of economic development. You know, when we hear the term called ‘poverty pimping’, that’s what they’re doing whilst our people are disadvantaged.”

After his censure motion was shut down on Tuesday, Mr Guyula asked the government why it refuses to meet with Indigenous leaders and organisations to find solutions to the crime problem.

Mr Edgington, who is also the Aboriginal Affairs Minister, did not directly answer the question, choosing to repeat the government’s mantra again, then blaming the previous Labor government for scrapping local government councils 17 years ago.

He then contradicted what the four land councils said last week and claimed the Finocchiaro Government was “working very closely with Aboriginal peak organisations … which includes the four land councils”.

Mr Edgington then brought up remote housing targets.

“We are working with many organisations in tackling the root causes of crime,” he said.

“So, when it comes to working with Aboriginal organisations, right across the board, we are doing what’s needed to be done here in the Northern Territory. We will continue to work right across the board when it comes to tackling these issues.”

Finocchiaro govt policies drawing national attention

On Monday, Ms Finocchiaro said her rushed changes to the Youth Justice Act were necessary because “evidence-based” approaches to addressing crime had not worked, but did not explain what approaches she was referring.

The government said the changes would include re-introducing spit hoods in youth jails, giving the Corrections Commissioner new powers to use force during escape attempts, removing “detention as a last resort’ considerations during sentencing, and allowing a youth’s young offender history to be considered when sentenced for adult offences.

On Tuesday, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (NATSILS) issued a statement calling the government’s proposed reforms to the Youth Justice Act “morally abhorrent” and warning it will “make communities less safe” by increasing the likelihood of troubled children continually engaging in the criminal justice system.

“Instead of engaging in political point scoring, the NT Government must listen to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, communities, and experts. These laws will disproportionately harm our children and the NT Government knows that,” said NATSILS chair Karly Warner.

“Investment in community-led supports for children and their families that prevent children from being criminalised in the first place is how we build safer, healthier communities – not through abuse and incarceration.”

Community group Justice Not Jails said on Tuesday the proposed reforms was “yet another racist attack on Aboriginal children” and called again on the Federal Government to “sanction” the NT Government for their actions by withholding funds and re-directing them to “Aboriginal Community-controlled organisations”.

Independent MLA Justine Davis said the CLP’s move to kill the censure motion would not end the government’s “mismanagement” and the wider problems.

“This is not just mismanagement, it is moral failure,” she said. “And while the government may have blocked this censure motion today, it cannot block the truth: a government that punishes Aboriginal people for existing is not fit to govern. The NT deserves better.”

Mr Guyula said outside Parliament he was concerned the government would make the current situation worse if it continued to ignore Indigenous Territorians.

“People who have committed an offence should be held accountable. There must be justice for victims,” he said.

“But it should not be the kind of justice that causes more harm and drives people even further into a life a crime becoming jailbirds. We need to see justice that breaks the cycle of offending and brings opportunities for everyone.

“We want support to implement community-led solutions. We have answers but the Government needs to listen and work with us. This Government forgets they are working with sovereign nations, and we have a right to be decision-makers in this space, and we are fed up with the disrespect.”