Urgent need for Brown's legislation to override NT mandatory sentencing

The latest victim of the Northern Territory's mandatory sentencing laws, a 29 year an Aboriginal man, has been sentenced to 12 months jail for stealing a towel off a clothesline to use as a blanket.

"The real crime here is being committed by the court," Greens Senator Bob Brown said today.

Senator Brown will introduce a bill to the Senate next month to override the NT law which makes jail sentences mandatory for petty theft. Australia's legal authorities have previously called on the Howard Government to override the NT.

"These laws breach international human rights conventions including the safeguarding the rights of children. Minors, and they are mostly Aboriginal, jailed under the law are much more likely to take up criminal careers and cost society dearly later on.

"White collar crime such as fiddling the books is not covered by mandatory sentencing. Its one law for the Darwin elite and one for Aboriginals. It shames Australia and it's unAustralian," Senator Brown said.