Former Northern Territory corrections minister John Elferink has said he will cooperate fully with the royal commission into the juvenile justice system and will address “many misconceptions” about youth justice.

Elferink broke his silence nine days after Four Corners broadcast footage of boys being abused at the Darwin juvenile detention centre.

He was stood down as corrections minister a week ago after the footage was aired, although he remains attorney general and minister for children and families.

Elferink left Darwin for South Australia for several days last week after reports of threats being made against him and his family.

On Wednesday morning in a statement he said there had been “numerous media inquiries to my office in relation to issues arising from the Four Corners report”.

“There are many misconceptions in the media and the broader community that I will be pleased to address at the appropriate time,” he said.

“The royal commission is the proper forum for these topics of considerable public interest to be examined and I will cooperate fully.”

He said there was also a civil action before the courts, with several of the boys who were teargassed at the centre suing the NT government.

Elferink said that as attorney general it was inappropriate for him to comment on the matter.

The NT chief minister, Adam Giles, has taken over the corrections portfolio, but has refused to stand Elferink down from his other portfolios.

Numerous organisations and Aboriginal leaders have said it is inappropriate for Elferink to remain as attorney general and minister for children and families, or for him to have played a part in setting terms of reference for the royal commission given it will investigate his actions as corrections minister.