NT government accused of politicising Kumanjayi Little Baby's death

Emotions boiled over in Northern Territory parliament today, with the government accused of politicising the tragic death of a five-year-old girl through a parliamentary motion against an opposition member.

Country Liberal Party Child Protection Minister Robyn Cahill began the day by moving a motion condemning her Labor counterpart Chansey Paech over comments he made to the media on Tuesday.

Following the release of a damning report into the NT's Department of Children and Families and its failings relating to Kumanjayi Little Baby, Mr Paech referenced Jefferson Lewis, who has been charged with her murder and is yet to enter a plea or face trial.

While speaking on the motion today, Ms Cahill used parliamentary privilege to repeat Mr Paech's comments, which were later aired by Channel 9 and the broadcast shared on the MLA's social media account.

During her speech, Ms Cahill told parliament "a man has been charged over the death of this little girl and that matter is before the courts".

"Every member of this house knows what that means," she said.

Ms Cahill said Mr Paech's comments were "offender-focused commentary" and "condemnable".

"There is no justification [Mr Paech] can offer for these comments — not grief, not politics and not frustration with the government," she said.

"Kumanjayi Little Baby's family deserve better and so does our community."

Following the release of the report into the child protection system, Mr Paech and some child safety advocacy organisations criticised the government for only scrutinising the department while glossing over failures in other areas, including corrections, the justice system, domestic violence and housing.

They also said the report focused too much on the actions of Kumanjayi Little Baby's mother — a repeated victim of domestic violence.

Paech hits back

During Mr Paech's contribution to the debate, he said the government had politicised Kumanjayi Little Baby's death by moving the motion, which the government used its majority to pass.

A Central Australia-based MLA, Mr Paech said he had also supported the little girl's family throughout their ordeal in Alice Springs.

"I was there when Kumanjayi Little Baby's family needed someone," he said.

Mr Paech also said "everyone in [the] community" knew the "situation around the tragic loss of life of Kumanjayi Little Baby".

"To pretend or suggest I have said something that is not already out in the public domain, that my communities are not already talking about, is disrespectful to them," he said.

Mr Paech also accused Ms Cahill of "leaking to the media because that's where the stories" around Kumanjayi Little Baby "are coming from".

During question time, Labor backbencher Dheran Young asked Ms Cahill whether her department was investigating how "confidential information" identifying Mr Lewis as one of five "safe adults" in Kumanjayi Little Baby's life, had been leaked to News 24 and the NT News.

The outlets reported yesterday that a person referenced in the Webb-Shanahan report released on Tuesday as having been nominated by the department as "safe" was Mr Lewis.

In response, Ms Cahill did not address whether there was an investigation, instead saying "any information coming into the public arena that one would not expect" was "of concern".

"We are absolutely focused on not having information in the public arena that shouldn't be," she said.

"I am absolutely confident that nobody would have released information that they know that they shouldn't be releasing."

Ms Cahill said Mr Young should ask the "people who have actually put that information out into the public arena where they got it from".

"That's really the obvious place to start," she said.