The Northern Territory government has announced it is introducing urgent new bail law changes to try and stamp out a surge in violent knife crime.
NT Attorney-General Chansey Paech said the changes would see "presumption against bail for [anyone alleged to have committed] violent offences with a weapon".
"They are offences that relate to people with a weapon, such as a knife, an axe, a machete, a crossbow, because we are saying that enough is enough," Mr Paech said.
"We are taking the appropriate action in our community to provide and to uphold the community expectations."
The move comes just over a week since the stabbing death of 20-year-old Darwin bottle shop worker Declan Laverty after he refused a customer while on the job.
19-year-old man, Keith Kerinauia, who has been arrested and charged with the young man's murder, was allegedly out on bail at the time of the incident.
Mr Laverty's death has triggered a wave of grief and fury across the territory capital, culminating in a mass anti-crime rally outside Parliament House on Saturday.
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said, "we have listened to the community".
"We believe this change matches the community expectation of us as a government," she said.
Last week, the territory government flagged it was looking at introducing a suite of measures in response to Mr Laverty's death, including a review of bail laws, possible new police powers and the ability for security guards and transit officers to carry capsicum spray.
Violent assaults in the Northern Territory have been on a steady rise since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, with assault rates recently hitting their highest peak in at least 15 years.
Government refutes it waited too long to enact change
Mr Paech denied the government had waited too long to introduce changes.
"We have made clear as a government we will not have kneejerk reactions," Mr Paech said.
Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the government was only acting due to the intensity of public and media pressure.
"What I do know is that Natasha Fyles could've walked into parliament last week and gotten this done," Ms Finocchiaro said.
Mr Paech also defended his decision to take annual leave to go to NSW on the weekend, where he helped campaign for Labor in that state's election, despite the urgent bail review underway.
"I attended NSW for a personal commitment, and I stayed on for the weekend, for … the NSW election," he said on Tuesday.
"My flights and accommodation were paid for by myself, and as all members of the Legislative Assembly are able to, [I'm] entitled to take leave at particular times."
The amendments will be introduced to NT parliament on Wednesday.
