The provisions in the present legislative package flow from measures announced in response to the Report of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse, 2007, Ampe Akelyernemane Meke Mekarle “Little Children are Sacred”. 

Many commentators have noted, however, that there appears to be very little overlap between the 97 recommendations of the Northern Territory (NT) report and the measures which the Federal Government announced (referred to as the 'Northern Territory Response') and to which it now seeks to give effect. Most of the recommendations in the NT report were addressed to the NT Government. The Federal Government has said that it is responding to the issue raised in the NT report, not to its recommendations. The Federal measures may not be called for in the NT report, but that need not mean that these measures are inconsistent with those being recommended in the report. It is noted that the authors of the report have indicated their discontent with the federal Government’s response.