NT government won’t commit to policy changes despite fatal stabbing at bottleshop

The NT government is standing by its record on law on order but admits more needs to be done, following the tragic death of a bottleshop employee on Sunday night.

The NT government has offered a tepid response to the shocking stabbing of a 20-year-old bottleshop worker on Sunday night, standing by its track record on law and order as the community calls for change grow louder.

Natasha Fyles would not be drawn on whether any policy changes would be made after the “absolutely heartbreaking” attack but said her government was working with bottleshop licensees and owners to ensure a safe work environment.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles would not be drawn on whether the stabbing would lead to any policy change. Picture: Pema Tamang

“We’ve been working enormously hard in making sure that people that work on the frontline are safe, particularly around bottle shops,” Ms Fyles said.

“I’ve been working with industry for the past six years around making sure that we’re agile, that we support them.

“As a government we’ve put in place a range of policies, legislation, practical programs, given police more tools to do their job. But is there more work to do? Yes.”

Meanwhile, the opposition has meanwhile called for “a full crackdown” on alcohol-fuelled violence in the Territory.

CLP leader Lia Finocchiaro said the death must be a catalyst for increased police powers.

“We can’t let this young man’s life be in vain, it has to force change today,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“Ultimately, every single person who works in a forward-facing customer service role today will be wondering whether or not they’re safe to go to work.

“People will be sending their children, their teenagers, to work not knowing if they will come back, and this is not a way that any Territorian can continue to live.”

When pushed to elaborate on the increased action against “drunks and problem drinkers”, Ms Finocchiaro did not rule out posting Police Auxiliary Licensing Inspectors at Darwin bottleshops.

“There needs to be a crackdown. If that means more police on bottle shops, if that means bigger presence of police in our community, if it means greater licensing inspectors, then so be it,” she said.

“Unfortunately, what we know is our police are under resourced.”

Opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro has called for “a full crackdown” on alcohol-fuelled violence. Picture: (A) manda Parkinson

Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison said Darwin was a “very different” context to towns further south when it came to police presence at bottleshops.

“We have a lot more bottleshops … so it would be very resource intense,” she said.

An emotional Ms Manison said the “devastating” incident “makes your blood boil” but deferred questions on whether anything would change in the government’s approach to tackling crime.

“This has happened overnight, there will be briefings that are received and police will go out there and investigate this thoroughly,” she said.

“We know alcohol issues are not new, they have been part of the NT for a long time but the best way for us to tackle it is to look at evidence based approaches, to have the hard conversations, and do the hard work.”

Originally published as NT government won’t commit to policy changes despite fatal stabbing at bottleshop