Police have charged a 50-year-old man with sex offences against a child in Tennant Creek.

Guardian Australia has been told the child is around three years of age, and the perpetrator is believed to be a relative. He was arrested on Sunday and faced local court the following day, charged with indecent dealing with a child under 16 years and gross indecency without consent, over an incident on Friday afternoon.

NT police said the matter was before court and declined to provide further details.

The Australian reported the accused was also charged with contravening a domestic violence order and breaching bail conditions.

Asked about the incident, prime minister Scott Morrison said it “makes your heart just cry”.

“It’s important that the law enforcement authorities and others who are dealing with that situation on the ground do just that,” he told reporters in Townsville.

Morrison then pointed to his appointment of Tony Abbott as special envoy for Indigenous affairs, focusing on school attendance and performance to turn communities around.

“It starts really with the young people and getting them into school,” he said.

“I think that is true of every single member of parliament - that is a universal, totally understood commitment from everyone.”

In February the sexual assault of a two-year-old brought the nation’s attention to the troubled town – one of many in the Northern Territory struggling with alcohol abuse, inadequate housing and related social issues.

It was subsequently revealed the child and her siblings were well known to child protection authorities, and an investigation by the children’s commissioner found authorities had an “abundance of evidence” about the danger the children were in.

The NT government responded to the February assault with strict alcohol bans and funding of new or extra welfare services and government coordination roles.

A Guardian Australia investigation found some evidence of positive results from the measures – including data from police that alcohol-related violence was down – but problems remained deeply entrenched.

New powers to strip or suspend liquor licences have already been used several times in response to breaches of sale of alcohol laws and restrictions.

In July, Tennant Creek was visited by the then prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and the then social services minister, Dan Tehan. Both have since lost their posts, Turnbull in the most recent leadership spill and Tehan in a cabinet reshuffle.

The social services minister is now Paul Fletcher.

Guardian Australia was told at the time that community members were buoyed by the visit and the concern shown by the politicians, particularly from Tehan.

Turnbull also announced the government was open to a regional deal, similar to the cities deals, partnering three levels of government with community organisations to address social issues.

A list of agreed federal funding projects, leaked to News Corp last week, included a cities deal for Darwin, but nothing for Tennant Creek.

Indigenous affairs minister, Nigel Scullion, who accompanied the ministerial visit, said the regional deal was still on the table and there was “absolutely no question” the federal government was committed to it.

“It’s important to acknowledge that the regional deal is part of our longer-term plan for Tennant Creek and the deal does not mean the NT government can simply abrogate their responsibility for child protection issues,” he said.

Fletcher has been contacted for comment.

Between 2013 and 2017 there were 240 sexual offences committed against children aged nine and under, and 430 against children aged between 10 and 15. In 2017 children under 15 were victims in a third of all sexual offences, according to NT police data.

A number of welfare, child protection and health professionals have told Guardian Australia child sexual abuse occurs at high rates across central Australia, but news doesn’t reach the public.

In April a 58-year-old man, employed by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, was charged with seven offences of indecent dealing with a child under 16.

Last week the Australian reported comments by the supreme court justice Stephen Southwood, during a sentencing hearing, that it was “prevalent”.