Suing the victims

On Monday, we learned that the Northern Territory government tortures children, hooding prisoners in its juvenile detention centres, strapping them in "restraint chairs", beating and tear-gassing them. The public release of the graphic video (which the Northern Territory government had had for over a year) forced the Australian government to announce a royal commission to inquire into the abuses. But now, unbelievably, the Northern Territory government has doubled down on its abuse by suing their victims:

The Northern Territory government is countersuing two boys who were allegedly abused at the Don Dale detention centre.

[...]

The NT government is taking steps to countersue two of the boys who were teargassed, the ABC reports.

However, the counter-case is not to do with the tear-gassing incident but with alleged damage caused during an escape attempt. The ABC is reporting that the NT Government will be seeking $160,000 in damages from two of the boys, for damage caused to the facility during the escape attempt.

Pretty obviously, this suit would not be happening if the mistreatment had not been exposed. Which makes it very clearly an act of bullying and intimidation - if you report abuse we will bury you - and PR. By painting their victims as undeserving, the Northern Territory government hopes to limit the political fallout. Its a disgusting abuse of power by an authoritarian torture state. But I guess that's Australia for you...