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Thousands of peaceful protesters have gathered in Darwin in response to the alleged murder of bottle shop worker Declan Laverty, calling for immediate action to halt the city's rising crime rates.
Key points:
- Declan Laverty was stabbed to death at a Jingili bottle shop on Sunday night
- The incident came as the city deals with rising rates of violent, alcohol-fuelled crime
- The NT government is defending the pace at which it is moving to create tougher laws
Floral tributes were laid on the steps of Northern Territory Parliament House, from where tearful, impassioned speeches were delivered in tribute to a young life cut short too soon.
Mr Laverty was stabbed to death in a northern suburbs bottle shop last weekend, with 19-year-old man Keith Kerinauia arrested and charged with his murder.
NT Police alleged it came after Mr Laverty refused service to a customer.
Organiser Cobie Campbell fought back tears as she read a eulogy written by Mr Laverty's mother, Samara Laverty, to the 2,000-strong crowd.
"It gives us comfort to know how much he has impacted the community," Ms Campbell said.
"Declan was an amazing person. He could make us laugh so much. He was mature beyond his years."
Mr Laverty's parents thanked the community for their support but urged for calm as the murder investigation into his death continued.
"We understand that you are hurting as much as we are," Ms Laverty wrote.
"But now we must respect the investigative process and ensure nothing is done to jeopardise the fight for justice for our son and brother."
Ms Campbell also called for the NT government to consider immediate new tough-on-crime measures and legislate them under the title "Declan's Law".
Mr Laverty's father, Damian Crook, said he was "hurting for Darwin".
"I really am worried – I'm worried that people won't come here, and I don't want that," he said.
Calls for Fyles and Chalker to be sacked
There were calls in the crowd for both Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker to be sacked for their handling of the NT's growing crime problem.
Over the past year, NT Police statistics have shown a troubling rise across the board in violent offences in Darwin and regional towns like Katherine and Alice Springs.
Another event organiser, Sadé Dobson, read some of those statistics aloud at the rally and said she believed the NT government was moving too slowly towards any type of lasting solutions.
"It shouldn't take a murder and a rally for the government to listen and act," Ms Dobson said.
In the wake of Mr Laverty's death, the Fyles Labor government promised to roll out a suite of measures, including a review of bail laws and possible new police powers.
Yesterday, Police Minister Kate Worden said they were moving as fast as possible to deliver change.
"The work has already started," Ms Worden said.
"Sometimes with legislation, unfortunately you have to take a moment because you need to get it right the first time.
"You don't want to put legislation forward and then find in six months' time you have to tinker around the edges."
Ms Worden did not directly answer when asked if the government had missed the warning signs of an increase in weaponised violence in Darwin's northern suburbs prior to Mr Laverty's death.