The Northern Territory Parliament has passed legislation to standardise fines and penalties for more than 70 acts and regulations ranging from planning to prostitution.

The Opposition's justice spokeswoman, Jodeen Carney, voiced concerns about one change that sees the maximum penalty for begging increased from $500 to $6500.

The begging law comes under Section 56 of the Summary Offences Act.

It states: "Any person who ... wanders abroad, or from house to house, or places himself in any public place, street, highway, court, or passage, to beg or gather alms, or causes or procures or encourages any child so to do ... shall be guilty of an offence."

Other parts of the Section 56, which will also incur fines up to $6500, include being in possession of a "deleterious drug" or consorting with criminals.

Ms Carney yesterday said many of the increases in fines indicated the changes were a "revenue raising exercise by Government".

But the bill was eventually passed into law unopposed late yesterday, with the Opposition saying it gave support in the end because there is a strong need to modernise the fines system.

The Labor Government says the penalties are being increased to meet inflation and maximums are just a guide for the courts.

The Government says 14 people have been fined for begging since 1992.