Should police be given the power to enforce night-time curfews on children in high-crime towns?

This issue gained national attention following the imposition of a youth curfew in Alice Springs in response to a surge in break-ins and violence. Supporters argue that when law and order breaks down, the state has a duty of care to physically remove unaccompanied minors from the streets for their own safety and the safety of the public. They view it as a necessary "circuit breaker." Opponents, including human rights groups and Indigenous legal services, argue that curfews are racially discriminatory in practice, breach civil liberties, and historically fail to reduce crime rates, often leading to more hostile confrontations between youth and police.