EDIT

To date, there has been little to no action by the incumbent government in regards to the crime in the NT.  The amount of thefts, assaults, break ins continues to grow and there is NO acknowledgment of how the community feels.

Please share, we need Natasha Fyles and her government to acknowledge the community's concerns and STAND UP AND ACT!!!!!  No one should feel unsafe in their own home.  People should feel safe doing their grocery shopping and getting to the vehicles.  People should feel safe.

Natasha Fyles, please, acknowledge what the people of your Territory are going through.

I am Samara Laverty.  I am the mother of Declan Laverty, a young 20 year old stabbed to death at his workplace, BWS Jingili.

He went to work that day.  He left his bed unmade and clothes on his floor to sort out when he got home that night.  He expected to come home.  Except, someone decided to brutally attack him, someone who was on a crime spree with 2 other younger people.  A crime spree in which they were determined to do harm and they certainly did.

The offender was already out on bail for alleged aggravated assault with a bladed weapon.  The EXACT offense that killed my son.

Declan's brutal death has had an effect on hundreds of thousands of people, in the NT and country wide.  

The current system is broken.  People are not safe at work. People are not safe in their homes.  People are scared to go shopping or do recreational activities.  This is unacceptable.  The NT is a beautiful place.  

People are leaving the NT because of the crime.

People are refusing to come to the NT because of the crime.

Alice Springs and Darwin live in fear.  Under siege in their homes.

Change MUST be made.

The rights of offenders must not outweigh the rights of the victims!

The change must come from someone with enough intestinal fortitude to put their foot down and MAKE these changes!

Declan's Law will examine and advocate for the following

* Tighten bail laws around offenders charged with alleged aggravated assault and even if a first offence it requires bail conversation with a judge to assess the circumstances

* Tighten laws around what constitutes a deadly weapon

* Police powers to increase, trial metal wanding following Jack's Law in QLD, and give powers of confiscation and charging for going armed in public

* Early access programs to identify at risk youth and engage them in positive and skill based programs as well as education

* To whit, use these programs as a base to lean into other mandatory diversionary programs as required

* Increase the funding required to cover new facilities, staffing, programs

* Increase funding for First Line Emergency Services - Police, Paramedics, Firefighters

* Increase training and powers for security guards

* Look at other ways to decrease alcohol fuelled crime

These changes will take time, planning, development and someone with the intestinal fortitude to make it happen!

Economic benefits of having more skilled workers, decreased crime, decreased reliance on the current system will improve outcomes for people in the NT and put people on a better path.

It's not an easy or quick solution.

I watched the Chief Ministers response to the concerns and questions asked about crime.  I cried.  She literally made a jest out of the crime that murdered my son.

I have had compassion from so many people, so many quarters, and other politicians.

Let's change this so no other family, no other mum, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin and friend NEVER have to go through what our family is going through.

Thank you

Samara Laverty and family