The Territory’s top stories of 2023
From a croc caught with his tackle out to a dramatic drive-through arrest, here are the NT’s biggest stories of 2023.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
As a new year approaches, it is time to look back on the NT’s biggest stories of 2023.
From a croc caught with his tackle out to a dramatic drive-through arrest to the former Chief Minister’s shares scandal, there was no shortage of headlines this year.
These are the stories that had the Territory talking.
Hungry Jack’s drive-through arrest
Frank Ingram, 30, and Joseph Liddy, 31, found themselves facing down the barrel of a police shotgun during a dramatic drive-through arrest at Coolalinga Hungry Jack’s on January 5 as part of a major police operation.
Both men were wanted on existing arrest warrants for various violent offences with Ingram alleged to have used a crossbow to threaten people in their Palmerston home earlier that day.
NT Police’s Serious Crime Squad had been searching for Ingram since January 3 after he allegedly breached parole by failing to submit for a drug test and “came into possession” of a stolen Toyota HiLux.
Footage of the Hungry Jack’s bust shows Ingram using a piece of broken window and a tyre iron to fight off police officers who used bean bag rounds, tasers and capsicum spray to restrain him.
Liddy was also arrested at the scene after police identified him as an “active target” for the Domestic Violence Unit.
After searching their vehicle, police seized a shotgun, shotgun cartridges, crossbow, knives and drug paraphernalia inside the ute the men were driving.
The pair were taken into police custody and hit with almost 30 charges between them including a string of assault, driving, drug, firearm, and property charges.
Ingram appeared in court on January 10 charged with 18 offences including being armed in public, assault and dangerous driving.
Defence barrister Hugo Atkinson made no application for bail, and Ingram returned to prison under an old sentence.
Liddy will return to court on February 12 for his hearing in relation to the Hungry Jack’s bust and alleged prior offending.
Tragic death of Declan Laverty
“I love you mum, I’ve been stabbed” were the last words Declan Laverty was able to send to his mother Samara Laverty after he was attacked at a Darwin bottle shop on March 19.
The 20-year-old bottle worker was fatally stabbed minutes before he was due to finish his shift at the BWS Airport Tavern bottle shop in Jingili.
Following the attack, 19-year-old Keith Kerinauia was remanded in custody and charged with
Mr Laverty’s murder as well as aggravated robbery and breach of bail.
He was also charged with stealing clothing, an iPhone and AirPods from a 13-year-old boy as well as making a threat to kill and two counts of aggravated assault while armed with a knife and has since entered a self-defence plea.
Mr Laverty’s death has sparked a flood of tough on crime policies and rhetoric from parliament, including a petition led by his mother calling for “tighter bail laws” for offenders, first-time or repeat, who are charged with aggravated assault.
Originally from Cairns, Mr Laverty was described as a “smart, funny and loving young man” who loved his family, especially his dog Castiel and cat Cookie.
A funeral for Mr Laverty was held in Cairns on March 31.
A pre-trial hearing has been set for January 2 before acting Justice Graham Hiley, with the 10-day hearing set to begin on June 7.
Saltie killed after Wangi Falls attack
A 2.4m male saltwater crocodile was euthanised after mauling a 67-year-old man in a popular Litchfield swimming hole in July.
The man was bitten on the arm by the saltie while swimming in Wangi Falls on July 10 and sent to the Royal Darwin Hospital where he remained in a stable condition.
Wangi Falls was closed temporarily following the attack to complete crocodile surveys.
Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security director of northern Australian parks Dean McAdam said public safety was their key priority to reduce the risk of future attacks.
“We work hard to reduce the risk of crocodiles in the management zones, however there is always the chance they can move into an area undetected,” he said.
At the time, 166 crocodiles had been pulled from NT waterways in 2023, including a 3.4m saltwater croc from Wangi Falls in January.
Captain Noble’s dress change for defence
Darwin soldier Jesse Noble’s decision to come out as non-binary to their superiors sparked a change in military uniform rules to be inclusive of gender fluid, non-binary and intersex people.
In February, Captain Noble of Darwin’s First Combat Signals Regiment was given approval to wear the female uniform, prompting a broader directive to be issued to general personnel in April allowing gender fluid, non-binary and intersex people to choose the uniform, grooming standards and accommodation that best reflected their identity.
Captain Noble said the decision showed “there was a place in this organisation for everybody, irrespective of their gender, their sexuality, their ethnic origin or their background.
“What’s taking place here within forces command demonstrates that commitment of defence and army to being diverse and inclusive,” Captain Noble said.
The uniform move was the latest in a number of shifts in the Australian Defence Forces policies towards its queer members over the past three decades, including allowing LGBTQI+ Australians to serve in 1992 and transgender Australians to openly serve in 2010.
Horror US military crash kills three troops
American marines Captain Eleanor LeBeau, Major Tobin Lewis and Corporal Spencer Collart were killed after a MV-22 Osprey went down over the Tiwi Islands on the first day of Exercise Predators Run on August 30.
The marines were among 23 troops from the Darwin-based Marine Rotational Force on board the aircraft when it went down near Pickataramoor, Melville Island, 80 km north of Darwin.
Five troops were flown to Royal Darwin Hospital in serious conditions and it is understood that the two pilots and crew chief sacrificed their lives to avert a catastrophic crash killing all on-board.
In September, the American military took over the crash investigation with the assistance of the Australian Defence Force from NT Police who were leading the response.
The US Military also confirmed that they would continue to fly Osprey aircraft, despite safety concerns surrounding the aircraft dubbed a “death trap” and “widow-maker” after a history of fatal accidents.
Racy croc’s reputation lives on
The racy reputation of an iconic Territory croc, affectionately known as Big Boy, lived on after a picture of him with his tackle out went viral online in August.
Axel the croc, who received his name in the NT News “Name the Croc” competition, was a crowd favourite at Crocosaurus Cove where he became notorious for flashing unsuspecting visitors.
This legacy lived on after former Crocosaurus Cove photographer Mon Atkins shared a snap of the saltwater croc showing off his crown jewels to the ‘I Love Crocodiles’ Facebook group.
Ms Atkins said the photo had been taken by a young girl a few years ago while her mum was taking a dip in the thrilling tourist attraction.
“I was taking photos of Axel with the camera and stuff like that … and we got back and (the girl’s mum) was having a look at the packages after she’d done the Cage of Death,” she said.
“She said, ‘my daughter got this photo and I don’t want it but you have it, you might need it’, and I’ve gone, ‘holy sh-t’.”
Ms Atkins also said the 900kg croc would flash visitors “at the most inappropriate time and usually when there’s a group of kids or a group for a tour coming in.”
He was also known to be a menace, stalking fishermen and puncturing boat trailer tyres in the Roper River system where he was captured and taken to a tourist facility in Perth.
Axel found his way back to Darwin in 2014, living out the rest of his days as a “much-loved part of the family” at Crocosaurus Cove before passing away from old age in 2021.
General manager Penny Eckel said his “size and personality was very unique” and staff had many fond memories working with the horny beast.
Investigation into toddler’s childcare death
The Humpty Doo community was left reeling after the sudden death of a toddler after suffering a serious medical incident at a childcare centre, prompting a police investigation.
The two-year-old girl was rushed to the Royal Darwin Hospital in a critical condition on August 31, passing away two days later on September 2.
Following the tragedy, NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy confirmed the investigation was ongoing more than seven days after police, fire crews and paramedics were called to the centre.
No lines of inquiry or any additional details about the fatal incident were revealed by police but an NT Education spokesman said the department would “consider” any recommendations made by the coroner.
At the time, Mr Murphy said more information would be released once a report was prepared for the coroner.
“If we can and when we can, we’ll probably provide some more messaging … to allay any fears,” he said.
“It’s a tragic incident, for any loss of life, but especially such a young life.
“Obviously our thoughts are with the family …(and) all the people from the centre and the staff.”
The Humpty Doo Childcare Centre had not responded to requests for comment.
A different Darwin childcare centre director also told this publication that their organisation had received about 40 calls in three days after news broke from families seeking a new daycare facility.
“Ball of fire” road disaster at Pine Creek
A Stuart Highway crash became the worst road disaster the Territory has seen in 16 years, claiming the lives of four children and their parents who were trapped in a ‘fireball’ explosion.
A man and a woman, both 34, and their four young daughters aged nine, six, four and two were killed when their newly purchased 2009 Mitsubishi Pajero collided with a three-trailer road train 12 km south of Pine Creek on September 29.
The family car hit the Shaw’s Darwin Transport road train head on, sending it rolling to the side of the highway, spilling more than 10,000L of fuel, sparking a six-hour inferno which trapped the family inside.
Two people in the road train were lucky to escape the flames and taken to Royal Darwin Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The Disaster Identification Team later confirmed that the family were from Lajamanu, a remote community of 600 people west of Katherine.
The Lajamnu community began Sorry Business for the family with up to 400 people gathering at the Sorry Camp to mourn the Central Desert Regional Council worker, his wife and four children.
The trials of Outback Wrangler Matt Wright
During committal proceedings in December, Netflix star Matt Wright was committed to stand trial on one count of attempting to pervert the course of trial relating to the aftermath of a helicopter crash that killed Wright’s Outback Wrangler co-star Chris “Willow” Wilson last year.
He also had a string of other charges adjourned until June, including one count of menacing or intimidating chopper pilot Sebastian Robinson.
On February 28, 2022, Mr Wright’s company Helibrook’s Robinson R44 helicopter crashed after running out of fuel, killing Mr Wilson, 34, and leaving Mr Robinson, 28, in critical condition.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation into the crash was critical of Helibrook, who failed to use their safety management system to systematically identify and manage operational hazards.
The investigation also found cocaine in Mr Robinson’s system along with several engine defects, likely impacting the engine’s maximum power output.
The following November, police alleged Mr Wright was part of a conspiracy to cover up evidence in relation to the fatal crash, charging him with attempting to pervert the course of justice, destroying evidence and fabricating evidence relating to the fatal chopper crash.
He was also charged with unlawfully entering a building, unlawfully entering a dwelling and making a false declaration.
Mr Wright is currently on bail and will return to court on January 18.
The Fyles mining share scandal
Nightcliff MLA Natasha Fyles resigned as the Northern Territory’s 12th Chief Minister over undisclosed shares in a mining company.
On December 19, Ms Fyles announced she would be stepping down from the role after she was identified as having undisclosed shares in South 32 after having earlier declared shares in gas company Woodside.
Addressing the press at Parliament House, she acknowledged her failure to declare her shares in South 32, owner of the Gemco manganese mine on Groote Eylandt.
In March, Ms Fyles, also the Health Minister, dismissed concerns about high levels of metals found in residents living near the mine, refusing to investigate air pollution levels on Groote Eylandt.
She acknowledged not disclosing the shares was “unacceptable”.
“That was an error. It was an error on my behalf and don’t have any excuse for it. It was not deliberate, it was not intentional, but it was unacceptable,” she said.
“I can assure Territorians that no decision I’ve ever made has been influenced by that small shareholding but high standards are expected of people holding high office, as they should be and I also hold myself to high standards.”
During her exit speech, Ms Fyles vowed to contest the 2024 election as Labor’s Nightcliff candidate.
The following Thursday, Eva Lawler was officially sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of the Territory, claiming the top job less than 48 hours after her predecessor.
Originally published as The Territory’s top stories of 2023
80+ photos: Thousands descend on Darwin for Supercars action
Thousands of motorsports fans crowded into Hidden Valley for a weekend full of racing action and live entertainment at the Darwin Supercars. Check out all the photos.
Woman stabbed multiple times on Todd Mall in alleged DV attack
Police are searching for both the victim and offender of an alleged domestic violence attack after a man was seen stabbing a woman multiple times in the Alice Springs CBD.