NT to pass urgent bail laws, flags youth justice overhaul after fatal Darwin supermarket stabbingBy Jack HislopTopic:State and Territory Parliament4h ago4 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:12pmAn urgent session of NT parliament will be held on Wednesday. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)In short:New bail laws are set to be introduced and passed in the NT Legislative Assembly today during an urgent sitting of parliament.The bail changes were proposed by the NT government following the stabbing death of Darwin supermarket owner Linford Feick.The man charged with murder over his death, 18-year-old Phillip Randel Maurice Parry, was on bail when the incident occurred.abc.net.au/news/nt-parliament-bail-laws-after-nightcliff-grocer-fatal-stabbing/105227660Link copiedShareShare articleThe Northern Territory parliament will reconvene for an urgent session today to introduce and pass new bail laws in response to the fatal stabbing of a Darwin supermarket owner.Linford Feick, 71, died at his Nightcliff grocery store last Wednesday after Phillip Randel Maurice Parry, who was on bail at the time, allegedly attacked him with an edged weapon.Police said Mr Feick had confronted Mr Parry about shoplifting before the 18-year-old allegedly stabbed him.Linford Feick was fatally stabbed while working in his Nightcliff store. (ABC News: Laetitia Lemke)Mr Parry appeared in the Darwin Local Court on Monday charged with murder, theft and trespassing.Mr Feick's death has sent shockwaves through the Darwin community, sparking widespread sadness and anger. Phillip Randel Maurice Parry has been charged with murder. (Supplied)In response to the alleged murder, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro last week requested parliament be recalled so that "urgent" bail legislation could be introduced and passed, with a sitting day arranged for today.Ms Finocchiaro said she wanted the territory to have the "toughest bail laws in the country"."We've inherited an entire justice system — from the laws to the courts to the corrections — that has been putting the historical trauma of offenders above the rights of people to be safe," she told ABC Radio Darwin on Wednesday morning."We're trying to recorrect that, to make sure community safety is the number one priority."Lia Finocchiaro asked for parliament to be recalled urgently in the wake of the incident. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)Legislation to be based on Victorian, NSW lawsOutlining the proposed changes last week, Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said an overarching legal principle would be established, requiring judges to be satisfied that an alleged offender would not pose a risk to the community if granted bail."That overarching principle must be addressed and considered before any other type of presumption for or against bail is considered," she said.Ms Boothby said the changes would be based on laws in Victoria and New South Wales.Marie-Clare Boothby says the bail changes will make the community safer. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)But Ms Finocchiaro said on Wednesday morning the NT's laws would go further than NSW's legislation. "In New South Wales [the principle] only applies to youth, we are making this principle apply to youth and adults," she said."In New South Wales their prescribed offences it applies to is a rather short list, ours is a very long list of around 200 offences."Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said Labor would vote in favour of the legislation before parliament today, despite having "little to no time" to consider the details."Our Territory Labor opposition is prepared to support this bill today in line with current community sentiment [and] expectations that parliament will work together," she said in parliament."However we do have some genuine reservations about how effective it will be in actually strengthening community safety — that would be our number one concern."Chief flags overhaul of Youth Justice ActMs Finocchiaro also said the government was "part way through a rewrite of the Youth Justice Act", which she said would be ready by July. One change Ms Finocchiaro flagged was the removal of a provision which requires youth to be detained only as a last resort.This could contravene Australia's commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prescribes that children should be detained "only as a last resort and for the shortest appropriate period".Shahleena Musk said the NT government needs to focus on working with community and data-driven strategies to reduce crime in the territory. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)In response to the bail changes before parliament today, the NT's Children Commissioner Shahleena Musk said that "laws alone will not change the prominence of crime in the territory". "What we need to be doing is working with community leaders, working based on the data on where crime is arising, the nature of the crime, what services are available and how accessible and effective they are," Ms Musk said.The Justice Reform Initiative’s executive director Dr Mindy Sotiri agreed the proposed bail laws would be ineffective in the long-term.Mindy Sotiri says "talking 'tough on crime' is a very different proposition to actually addressing crime in the community". (ABC News: Sean Tarek Goodwin)"If tougher bail laws worked to reduce crime, then jurisdictions like the Northern Territory and Queensland — which already have among the most restrictive bail frameworks in the country — would be the safest places in Australia," she said."But that is not what the evidence shows."The experience of prison, especially for people on remand who have not been sentenced, makes it more likely — not less — that they will go on to reoffend."New bail changes build on Declan's LawThe Country Liberal Party (CLP) took power in the NT in August last year following an election campaign centred on tough-on-crime measures.Key to its platform was "Declan's Law" — a suite of bail changes it passed during the new parliament's first sitting.Declan's Law is named after Declan Laverty, who was killed while working at a bottle shop. (Supplied)The laws were named after Declan Laverty, a 20-year-old bottle shop worker who was fatally stabbed at work by a man on bail in 2023.Declan's Law expanded the presumption against bail for various violent offences and reintroduced breach of bail as an offence for children aged 10 to 17, with the aim of keeping more alleged offenders on remand.NT bail reform known as Declan's Law passes parliament. What will it do?Photo shows A large crowd in a town square, with one sign being held by a protester reading 'Enough is Enough'The Northern Territory government introduced a suite of bail reforms known as Declan's Law in October. Who is Declan and how did the legislation change?Ms Finocchiaro said Declan's Law was "working", but the new legislation would "strengthen" it."What we are really trying to do is make sure our laws meet that community expectation," she said."Whilst judges do require a level of discretion ... we're confident it could really set a strong benchmark for community safety."Since the CLP was elected, the territory's prison population has risen by more than 500 people.Deputy Chief Minister Gerard Maley acknowledged the proposed bail changes would put further pressure on the NT's strained corrections system, but said the government was prepared to create another 5,000 prison beds if necessary.Loading...Posted 4h ago4 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:12pm, updated 21m ago21 minutes agoWed 30 Apr 2025 at 1:56amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter) News in LanguageListen to the news in Warlpiri, Yolngu Matha and KriolListenTop StoriesAustralian dollar bounces higher after inflation figures announcedLIVEPhoto shows Finances genericHeadline inflation stable at 2.4pc while RBA's preferred measure drops within targetBREAKINGPhoto shows Cash money in a purse with a calculator, tea towel, list of bills on a notepad and a penAustralia faces 'lonelier' world with rules-based order crumblingTopic:National SecurityPhoto shows Two men wearing glasses and suits behind the backdrop of the world map.There's a reason Dutton can't resort to a scare campaign with older AustraliansAAnalysis by Annabel CrabbPhoto shows Peter DuttonHolmes à Court fuels movement that denies he will have seat at tableTopic:Political Parties and MovementsPhoto shows shac tealRelated storiesPhillip Randel Maurice Parry faces court charged with murder of Darwin grocerTopic:CourtsPhoto shows A man standing inside a room and holding out a machete to the camera.Bail reform promised in wake of NT supermarket stabbingTopic:CrimePhoto shows A woman addresses the media in a press confernece.Related topicsAlice SpringsCrimeDarwinNTState and Territory ParliamentTop StoriesAustralian dollar bounces higher after inflation figures announcedTopic:Stock MarketPhoto shows Finances genericBreaking: Headline inflation stable at 2.4pc while RBA's preferred measure drops within targetTopic:InflationAustralia faces 'lonelier' world with rules-based order crumblingTopic:National SecurityThere's a reason Dutton can't resort to a scare campaign with older AustraliansAAnalysis by Annabel CrabbHolmes à Court fuels movement that denies he will have seat at tableTopic:Political Parties and MovementsJust InParamedic 'frustrated' at being forced to stay outside of Bondi stabbing sceneTopic:Crime18m ago18 minutes agoWed 30 Apr 2025 at 1:58amTrump dismisses 'fake' approval rating as Americans voice tariff fearsTopic:World Politics41m ago41 minutes agoWed 30 Apr 2025 at 1:35amHeadline inflation stable at 2.4pc while RBA's preferred measure drops within targetBREAKING27m ago27 minutes agoWed 30 Apr 2025 at 1:50amHow Les Kiss went from rugby league winger to the Wallabies' next coachAnalysis by Luke Pentony48m ago48 minutes agoWed 30 Apr 2025 at 1:29amMore Just InBack to top