Spit hoods return to the NT as chief minister sprays critics as 'offender apologists'

This reads like a showcase of why the chief minister and the CLP are unfit for government.

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro led the charge by saying she expected the "usual offender apologists to criticise our efforts".

By the end of the week, the government had rolled out its planned changes, including bringing back spit hoods in youth detention settings and removing the principle of detention as a last resort.

Both are measures the royal commission into youth detention in the Northern Territory, sparked by a 2016 Four Corners investigation, explicitly recommended against.

So-called "offender apologists" were offered limited airtime within parliament house.

Ms Finocchiaro told a group of NT paediatricians who had written to her expressing "deep concern" over this week's changes that they were wasting their time.

The chief also sledged Opposition Leader Selena Uibo in parliament, saying while her party did not win the election, "she wins the award for being the biggest gutter trash politician in the chamber".

And an all-out "personal" attack on NT Coroner Elisabeth Armitage by Prevention of Domestic Violence Minister Robyn Cahill drew the ire of the sector.

Earlier this week, the ABC revealed more than 400 youths had been taken into custody at police watch houses during the first six months of the government's time in power.

They're totally unhinged.