The Northern Territory government has made a commitment to urgently reform bail laws. Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro disclosed these as-yet-untested plans in the wake of a spate of violent attacks, including this week’s stabbing of a 71-year-old man in a Darwin supermarket. Parliament’s reconvening on Wednesday, Finocchiaro said in a news release. They’ll meet to map legislative changes needed to enact “the toughest bail laws in the country.” This move is particularly timely as the administration works to improve public safety and bring law enforcement practices in line with community standards.
The reforms would respond to a locally alarming spike in the territory’s jail population. Since the Country Liberal Party (CLP) was elected last year with a tough-on-crime mandate, the inmate population has increased by more than 500. The Chief Minister and her government are hard at work lowering the number of people who get bail. Most critically, they are particularly targeted on cases of violence.
Immediate Legislative Action
Finocchiaro now plans to bring these bail law revisions for a quick passage in the next parliamentary session, which opens later this month. In a major shift, she explained why this historic initiative was needed — to show it’s a response to the community’s call for more robust safety improvements.
“What we want for the Northern Territory is to have the toughest bail laws in the country,” Finocchiaro stated. She further explained, “I think Territorians will agree that this is very urgent and important work that must be done.”
The Chief Minister’s remark clearly demonstrates the government’s commitment to prioritize crime and safety in the state. They are dedicated to ensuring the legal framework addresses the public’s concerns.
New Legal Principles and Public Safety Focus
Marie-Clare Boothby, the Attorney-General, explained the changes in more detail, focusing on inserting a broad legal principle.
Sentencing guidelines Judges were told to judge whether an offender was a continuing threat to the community. Only then can they deny bail.
“That overarching principle must be addressed and considered before any other types of presumption for or against bail is considered,” Boothby remarked. This new provision is intended to make sure that community safety is always at the center of judges’ decisions about bail.
Recently passed Declan’s Law increased the presumption against bail for a number of violent offenses. It reinstates breach of bail provisions for children 10–17 year olds. The bill is known as Declan’s Law after Declan Laverty, who was killed in a bathroom stall early this year. It marks a growing hysteria about re-incarcerating people for violent crime.
Implications for Corrections and Community Safety
Gerard Maley, the Corrections Minister, acknowledged that these proposed reforms could place additional pressure on remand facilities and corrections officers. So he called on his infrastructure department. They are looking into plans for additional beds at police watch houses and bolt down correctional centers around the Northern Territory to factor in expected rises in remand numbers.
“Keeping the community safe is our priority and we intend to make sure that if you commit a crime in the Northern Territory, there will be a bed for you in our corrections system,” Maley stated. His comments clearly reflect the government’s intention to prioritize public safety while taking into account the capacity of our correctional facilities.
The government is taking bold steps to accelerate these reforms. To succeed, it has to do a better job confronting and controlling public expectations and facing the reality of its own correctional system.
