A United Nations committee chair is writing to Anthony Albanese on the Northern Territory's new law to lower the criminal age of responsibility, which they say "contravened" Australia's international treaty obligations.

In short:

The UN Rights of the Child committee chair is writing to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the Northern Territory’s move to lower the age of criminal responsibility, which she says “contravenes” global treaty obligations.

The NT’s new conservative Country Liberal Party government legislated a new criminal age of 10 years old during its first parliament sittings this week.

Australia’s Children’s Commissioner is also calling on Mr Albanese to make child welfare and justice a national cabinet priority.