03:08
The Northern Territory Police Association (NTPA) has received legal advice
that the youth curfew in Alice Springs may be unlawful.

The curfew was imposed last week by chief minister Eva Lawler following
civil unrest in the town, with anyone aged under 18 banned from going into
the CBD between 6pm and 6am.

In a statement, NTPA president Nathan Finn says he sought advice on the
legality of the curfew after it was announced, and on 29 March was
provided with this response:

In my opinion the declaration is unlawful and police operating under that
declaration are at risk of acting unlawfully.

The advice referenced section 4(2) of the Emergency Management Act 2013,
which says:

This Act does not authorise a person to do, or make preparations to � put
down a riot or other civil disturbance.

Upon receiving this advice, Finn raised concerns with NT police
commissioner Michael Murphy. Finn argues the curfew is �nothing more than
a knee-jerk reaction and, once again, it is police who are lumped with
cleaning up [the] government�s mess following years of poor law and order
policy decisions�.

Murphy has defended the curfew on ABC News Breakfast saying �if there�s a
formal legal challenge, there�s a process with the court system�. He says
there are three things the Act cannot be used for: �the suppression of
civil disorder, armed combat, or ending a strike�, adding �we�re not using
the Act for any of those�.