AUSTRALIA’S rate of Indigenous incarceration is a “national crisis” and addressing the imprisonment of Indigenous youth must be a priority, Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters says.

Ms Chesters responded to questions about revelations from ABC’s Four Corners on Monday night, which aired footage of the physical abuse of children in detention in the Northern Territory.

The program resulted in Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull immediately announcing a royal commission into Northern Territory youth detention centres.

Ms Chesters welcomed the move, and said all parties needed to unite to address the issue.

“The high rates of incarceration of Indigenous people, especially youth, is a national crisis,” she said.

“I support the Northern Territory Labor Opposition’s call for the Don Dale Centre to be closed as soon as possible, as a first step.

“A far-ranging inquiry is clearly now necessary. Federal Labor will cooperate fully with the government to establish a royal commission as soon as possible.”

In Victoria, Indigenous young people constitute 1 per cent of teenagers aged 10 to 17, but make up 13 per cent of young people in youth justice.

The Bendigo electorate is also home to one of the state’s largest youth justice centres, in Malmsbury.

The Victorian government got on the front foot on Tuesday morning after the revelations. 

Minister for families and children Jenny Mikakos said the government had passed laws giving the Commission for Children and Young People greater oversight of youth justice in Victoria, and described the incidents in Northern Territory youth justice centres as “barbaric”.

Ms Chesters said greater targets to reduce the rate of Indigenous incarceration needed to be adopted.

“Labor also calls on the federal Liberal government to reconsider its rejection of national targets to reduce Indigenous incarceration and improve community safety under the Closing the Gap framework,” she said.