The Northern Territory Government has made it harder for alleged offenders to get bail, following the fatal stabbing of a 71-year-old shop owner in Darwin last week.
It passed legislation enabling the bail reform during an emergency parliamentary session earlier this week. It claims these are “the strongest bail laws in the country”.
Under the new law, a “presumption against bail” will now apply to anyone charged with a serious violent offence.
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said the Government “acted urgently and decisively, because lives depend on it.”
Stabbing
At around 5pm last Thursday, emergency services responded to reports of a violent altercation between a shop owner and a customer in Darwin.
Police allege an 18-year-old stabbed 71-year-old Linford Feick, who was trying to stop the teenager from stealing from his shop.
Feick was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 18-year-old, who was on bail at the time, has been charged with murder.
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New law
The new law makes it harder for those accused of serious violent crimes to be granted bail.
Courts must now have “a high degree of confidence” that an alleged offender will not commit another serious crime before granting bail.
For children and teenagers, the reform removes the requirement to consider “detention as a last resort.”
The Government said it is prepared to handle an increase in demand on the territory’s prisons.
Opposition
The NT Labor Opposition supported the bill’s passage, but said “tougher laws alone won’t fix the problem.”
Opposition Leader Selena Uibo criticised the reforms, saying the Government is “not focused on the prevention of crime in the first place.”
“The serious offences of the alleged offender should have been heard sooner. This may have saved a life... We’re encouraging the Government to invest in our courts, and legal aid services,” Uibo said.
