Annabel Hennessy, Australia researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement that the Australian government’s treatment of children in its criminal justice system was “a blot on Australia’s human rights reputation globally”.

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Over the past year, governments — particularly those in the Northern Territory and Queensland — have run on the back of a ‘tough on crime’ approach, resulting in breaches of rights including children being detained in adult facilities.

“I think that we need to have a united federal approach that doesn’t focus on tough on crime, but looks at these wicked problems of disadvantage, neglect, child abuse,” Hayes said.

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“To see them reintroduced over the past decade and to see people’s rights and liberties continue to be curtailed in the way that they have under successive governments has been deeply concerning.”

She added there was a “glaring gap” comparing this to an absence of sanctions on Chinese officials for alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Tibet.

“Our commitment to human rights reflects national values that are deeply embedded in Australian society and our respect for democracy and the rule of law.”