Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion has conceded he received an official brief about abuse claims in the Northern Territory youth justice system last year, despite earlier saying he had not been told about it.

The day after seeing Four Corners, Senator Scullion said he was shocked to the core.

On the weekend the Indigenous Affairs Minister apologised at the Garma festival in Arnhem Land for relying on the Northern Territory Government to keep him informed.

Now he says he did ask his department for information in October last year, after seeing a story in the media about the report by the NT children’s commissioner.

“Well, it was for a Question Time brief. We’d seen it in the paper and I said ‘Listen, what can you tell me about this, this might come up’.”
Nigel Scullion

“The report basically just provided a bit of background about the commissioners report when it was published.

“And it talked about — it said it looked at the use of tear gas during a three-hour siege by inmates.

“It talked about the report explaining approval to transfer five young people under the Youth Justice Act.

“It quoted some other media stories, … and it provided some media stories.”

Growing calls for Senator Scullion to resign

The former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma, has called on Mr Scullion to consider resigning.

He cites Senator Scullion’s initial lack of interest in what was going on at Don Dale.

“Any minister who is not willing to engage with the community they represent and want to listen to them and work cooperatively with them, shouldn’t be a minister,” professor Calma said.

Senator Scullion said he would have liked to hear it from Mr Calma himself.

“I’ve obviously lost the confidence of Tom, and I have to say it is a great disappointment to me,” he said.

Nigel Scullion is facing fresh criticism from Tom Calma. Photo: ABC/AAP

The Prime Minister is moving on with the issue of Indigenous recognition in the Constitution.

This morning he’ll sit down to talk about it with Labor Leader Bill Shorten in their first meeting since the election.

Malcolm Turnbull has warned Labor against pushing for a treaty as well as recognition, saying it could jeopardise the success of a referendum.

Senator Scullion argues that rather than ruling out a treaty at this point, the Referendum Council should be allowed to consult Indigenous Australians and make a recommendation.

“It’s through that engagement process. If that’s what Indigenous Australians, if that’s what the process tells us what to do, well that’s what it is — so that’s what their view will be,” he said.

—ABC