Indigenous and human rights groups have condemned the Senate's rushed passing of new laws extending the intervention in remote Northern Territory areas.

It has been nearly five years since John Howard brought in the original policy.

Today's passing of the Stronger Futures laws mean the current measures will mostly continue for another 10 years.

The laws, which replaces the Federal Government's intervention powers in the NT, allow continued welfare quarantining and alcohol management in Indigenous communities.

Amnesty International Australia says the law puts Australia's human rights record to shame.

The group's rights manager, Monica Morgan, says the Government has ignored public outcry over the legislation.

"It is a travesty," she said.

"The Government can't have not listened to Aboriginal peoples within the Northern Territory.

"They have actually disempowered them.

"They haven't been able to fulfil their obligations for advancing the rights of Aboriginal peoples to be able to make a decision for their own lives."

Talking, not listening

Northern Land Council chief executive Kim Hill expressed disappointment the bill was passed without amendments.

He said there had been frustration about the consultation process in preparing the legislation.

"Meeting with Aboriginal peoples and then doing all the talking is not consultation," he said.

"We feel there needed to be a lot more listening."

An Arnhem Land Indigenous group has also condemned the passing of the laws.

Yolungu National Assembly spokesman Djiniyini Gondarra says the Government has made a terrible mistake.

"We Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory will never trust in government any more," he said.

"I will be calling upon Aboriginal leaders right across the Territory to ... consider ways to fight."

Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin has defended the Stronger Futures legislation.

She says amendments were made the the laws before they passed.

"One issue that I know is very important for Aboriginal people is they want to know for sure that this legislation complies with the Racial Discrimination Act," she said.

"This is very important legislation aimed at making sure that we have strong alcohol controls in Aboriginal communities throughout the Northern Territory, making sure we do more to help young people and children attend school every day and make sure that we continue licensing of community stores so that people are guaranteed healthy food in their local store."

Call for protest

An Aboriginal leader from the Territory community where the Federal Government intervention began is calling on all Indigenous Territorians to protest against the Stronger Futures legislation.

Vincent Forrester says the situation in the community of Mutitjulu, south-west of Alice Springs, has deteriorated since the Intervention and will only get worse under the laws.

"I am calling on all Aboriginal Territorians for civil disobedience," he said.

"It must take place because they are taking our rights away and we are supposed to be Australians."

An Indigenous advocacy group called Concerned Australians says the laws are discriminatory and racist.

Spokesperson Michele Harris says Indigenous people have not been properly consulted.

"The message was we don't want this new legislation," she said.

"We want an end to the intervention, we want to have control back over our lives, we want control back over our land and our communities.

But Territory Labor Senator Trish Crossin says the laws will deliver what people want.

"This is going to be a new phase for Indigenous people in the Territory," she said.

Green party leader Christine Milne last night criticised the Government for bringing on the debate at short notice.

"This legislation was not even supposed to be coming on today," she said.

The Senate had spent most of the day debating legislation aimed at re-introducing the offshore processing of asylum seekers.

The Upper House continued sitting until early this morning to pass the Stronger Futures legislation before a parliamentary recess.