TERRITORY health professionals are telling young people to lie in order to access contraception, a youth advocate says.

SPEAKING OUT: Alice Springs member of the Youth Minister's Round Table of Young Territorians, Cindy Schultz

Cindy Schultz said health workers at a Central Australia youth advisory meeting told her young people were told to say they were older than 16 at sexual health service, Clinic 34.

The Alice Springs member of the Youth Minister's Round Table of Young Territorians - which advises Youth Minister Malarndirri McCarthy - slammed the Territory Government's banning of contraception under the controversial new mandatory reporting of underage sex as "ridiculous".

But Ms Schultz said the health workers were doing the right thing. "I think a lot of health professionals are actually helping young people," she said. "It makes young people scared.

"It is ridiculous that government has cut (free contraception) off. A lot of young people will have STIs and teen pregnancies."

Australian Medical Association NT president Paul Bauert said he did not encourage anyone to break the law, but said health professionals should think "laterally".

"The AMA certainly believes the public health implications of this policy are huge," he said.

Children and Families Minister Malarndirri McCarthy said in a statement that the Territory Government was doing all it could to protect children from sexual abuse.

"One of the biggest problems with child abuse is under-reporting," she said.

"A full review of the Act will occur in December this year. However, I will continue to consider all views on this matter."

Under the law, medical professionals, lawyers, and parents are required to report any under-age sexual activity they are aware of.

The NT News is awaiting a response by the Health Department.

Source: http://www.ntnews.com.au