Human Rights Commissioner Gillian Triggs has called for an independent inquiry into the treatment of Northern Territory children in detention, which was revealed on Monday's Four Corners program.

Key points: Human Rights commissioner describes video of youths being abused as "extremely distressing"

Human Rights commissioner describes video of youths being abused as "extremely distressing" Coalition MP Craig Laundy says footage made him feel "crook in the guts"

Coalition MP Craig Laundy says footage made him feel "crook in the guts" NT Government says conditions at centres have improved

A chilling catalogue of vision released for the first time showing the repeated stripping, assault and mistreatment of a 17-year-old boy, who was one of six children tear-gassed at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre in Darwin in 2014, was described as "extremely distressing" by Professor Triggs.

"I certainly think we need some kind of government-based independent commission, whether it's a full royal commission or not I don't know," she said on the Q&A program.

"If one of us were to have been found to have treated our children in this way we would probably be charged with a criminal offence and the children would be taken away from us.

"It's an extremely distressing piece of footage to look at and I have visited many detention centres, sadly.

"I have never seen conditions of that kind and I have never seen people treated in that way."

WARNING: This story contains graphic images.

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Professor Triggs said a formal inquiry would determine whether charges should be laid against people involved, but she said it appeared the guards were "ill-trained or not trained at all".

"The language that was on CCTV footage was disgraceful that you could even refer to children in this way, let alone what they physically did to the children in terms of the tear gas, stripping of their clothes and leaving them in isolation for such long periods," she said.

Coalition MP Craig Laundy, also on the Q&A panel, said the footage made him feel "crook in the guts".

"The footage horrified me and tomorrow (Tuesday) morning I'll be talking to both the Prime Minister and the relevant ministers what about we've seen and behind those closed doors what we can do," he said.

But spokespeople for Federal Attorney-General George Brandis and Justice Minister Michael Keenan both refused to comment, saying it was "a matter for the NT Government".

Professor Triggs said the conditions on the video were the worst she had seen in a detention centre. ( Supplied: Q&A )

Calls for Don Dale centre to be closed

National Children's Commissioner Megan Mitchell told Four Corners she was concerned about conditions after visiting children in the new Don Dale's High Security Unit (HSU).

"When they talked about the HSU and their time there the boys at Don Dale they said they felt like animals in that environment," she said.

"There wasn't a healthy relationship between a lot of the staff and children; there was a lot of tension, a lot of mistrust."

Ms Mitchell told Four Corners the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre should be closed.

"I don't think over the long term you can continue that facility or the culture it harbours, you can't separate the environment and the culture," she said.

"I don't believe it is operating in the best interest of children and I think if anybody from an objective view, anybody who looked at this footage and went to that centre would think the same."

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Amnesty International Indigenous Rights campaigner Julian Cleary described the vision as "sickening" and said the NT Government had failed to deal with systemic issues in its youth detention centre.

Human Rights Law Centre legal advocacy director Ruth Barson said there were "no circumstances" to justify children being treated like in the footage.

"Damaging people doesn't make our community safe, and in the long run, fosters an environment and a culture we don't want as a society," she said.

Australian Bar Association president Patrick O'Sullivan supported calls for an inquiry, and said he hoped the Federal Government would support a purpose-built youth centre.

"There needs to be an independent inquiry with, in my view, power on the commissioner to recommend to the DPP criminal charges, if appropriate," he said.

Sorry, this video has expired Dylan Voller is shackled into a chair, officers walk out

Conditions now improved, Government says

Northern Territory Corrections Minister John Elferink said the ability for children to complain about their treatment in detention had improved since the footage was taken.

"We now have a line directly from Don Dale to the Children's Commissioner so they can directly contact the Children's Commissioner if they want," he said.

"We have much better services than were originally provided, much better trained staff than were originally provided. Flushing toilets in cells is [sic] now being provided and those are basic human rights as well."

Earlier this year, after the video was filmed, the Northern Territory Parliament moved to amend the Youth Justice Act to ensure "that modern mechanical devices of restraint or advancements in technology" could be legally used on children.

In Parliament, Mr Elferink said the restraints were necessary.

"I acknowledge that the proposed amendments may incite commentary from legal and youth services professions as to the perception that mechanical devices will be used to excess or in such a way that is not appropriate to the risk posed by young people in detention," Mr Elferink stated in Parliament.

"I make no excuses for the proposed amendments. They are crucial in providing detainees, members of staff at youth detention centres and the public with greater safety and security.

"They are consistent with this government's priorities regarding young people in the justice system."