The Northern Territory’s Children's Commissioner has appeared in court over abuse of office charges. 

NT Children's Commissioner Colleen Gwynne has been charged with abuse of office, with hearings this week to determine whether the matter should proceed to trial.

She is  accused of intervening in the recruitment process for the role of Assistant Children's Commissioner in favour of her long-time colleague and friend.

The court was told that her alleged intervention in the recruitment of the Assistant Children's Commissioner in 2018 did “not comply with guidelines” but there was “no improper motive”.

An internal report into the recruitment process found: “The original appointment of Ms Dewson to the Assistant Children's Commissioner position did not comply with… guideline of AGD recruitment requirements, however, the rationale for doing so was considered genuinely to respond to the urgent business needs of the [Office of the Children's Commissioner]”.

Judge Huntingford said she had thought there was no “excuse or justification” for Ms Gwynne's alleged intervention, but “there was no improper motive in the actions taken”.

More submissions are being made in court today.