Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner has taken greater control over his government by adding the Minister for Children portfolio to his responsibilities in a reshuffle as he deals with a child protection crisis.
The changes follow revelations last week that 15 children had been removed from their families around Tennant Creek out of safety concerns following the recent rape of a two-year-old girl in the town.
A parliamentary estimates hearing has also been told at least one child is sexually exploited or abused in the NT each week.
Territory Families Minister Dale Wakefield, who is under pressure as the MP responsible for child protection and youth justice, kept her job in the first reshuffle since the government's 2016 election.
Ms Wakefield is implementing royal commission recommendations for the youth justice and child protection systems after the scandal involving physical abuse of teenage inmates at the Don Dale youth detention centre.
However, Mr Gunner will now chair the cabinet subcommittee that deals with all agencies involving children: Territory Families, education, health housing and police.
"I've taken on the broader responsibility as Minister for Children, to make sure we are delivering on all those portfolios that relate to our kids from housing to education to health to Territory Families, that is my responsibility as chief minister," he told reporters.
"My job is to crash through those silos and make sure there's one government response to everything.
"We've elevated it to me as chief minister to chair that subcommittee, I'm now chairing all the subcommittees of cabinet and making sure there is a very clear strategic direction from me as chief minister across all those priorities of government: kids, jobs, trust and the bush."
Mr Gunner supported Ms Wakefield and said the Territory's problems in youth justice and with children had been around for decades.
But he said the royal commission had provided a "road map" and the government would stick the course to make children and generational change a priority while implementing the recommendations of past governments, he said.
Indigenous minister Ken Vowles added Aboriginal Affairs to his Primary Industry and Resources role while Aboriginal woman and new minister Selena Uibo, 33, takes on the education portfolio.
Opposition Leader Gary Higgins accused Mr Gunner of damaging the economy by giving up the police portfolio and adding it to Treasurer Nicole Manison's responsibilities.
