Kids forced to represent themselves in court: The NT’s legal aid crisis
May 27, 2026 •
For most of us, facing court with no lawyer and no legal advice in a case that could change the course of your life would be unthinkable.
But that’s the situation currently facing dozens of defendants in the Northern Territory – many of them disadvantaged or with English as their second or third language, some just children – all being forced to go it alone in a legal system most adults would struggle to navigate.
Lawyer Clancy Dane says a shortage of legal aid, exacerbated by the state government’s tough-on-crime agenda, is leaving vulnerable people without the right to a fair trial. Now, he’s fighting to change that.
Today, Territory Criminal Lawyers principal Clancy Dane, on what he says is the worst legal aid crisis the country has ever seen.
If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.
Kids forced to represent themselves in court: The NT’s legal aid crisis
1929 • May 27, 2026
Kids forced to represent themselves in court: The NT’s legal aid crisis
For most of us, facing court with no lawyer and no legal advice in a case that could change the course of your life would be unthinkable.
But that’s the situation currently facing dozens of defendants in the Northern Territory – many of them disadvantaged or with English as their second or third language, some just children – all being forced to go it alone in a legal system most adults would struggle to navigate.
Lawyer Clancy Dane says a shortage of legal aid, exacerbated by the state government’s tough-on-crime agenda, is leaving vulnerable people without the right to a fair trial. Now, he’s fighting to change that.
Today, Territory Criminal Lawyers principal Clancy Dane, on what he says is the worst legal aid crisis the country has ever seen.
If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.
Guest: Territory Criminal Lawyers principal, Clancy Dane
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