NT remains homicide capital of the country as pleas for DV funding reach Prime Minister

Domestic violence makes the NT the deadliest place in the country. As the PM announces almost $1bn for women escaping abuse, here’s what it means for Territorians.

The NT remains the homicide capital of the country, new data reveals, as an increase in the violent killings of women across Australia renews calls for needs based funding to address the scourge of domestic abuse in the Territory.

The Australian Institute of Criminology’s latest report tracking homicides in Australia shows the NT has a death rate five times higher than the national average— 11 Territorians losing their lives to homicide in 2022-23.

Of those nine murder charges and two manslaughter charges, 45 per cent were attributed to domestic violence, 36 per cent were allegedly committed by acquaintances, and 18 per cent by a stranger.

In the NT, rates of domestic violence homicide is seven times higher than any other Australian jurisdiction, and Aboriginal women are 13 times more likely to die at the hands of their partner.

Nationally, the AIC study found Indigenous women were killed at almost seven times the rate of non-Indigenous women.

Rates of DV homicides in the Territory are the worst in the country. Photo: Max Fleet / NewsMail

The first Aboriginal woman to be killed in an alleged domestic violence attack this year died at the Royal Darwin Hospital on February 29 – almost five months after being found bruised, bloody and unconscious at the side of a road just over the NT border.

The 26-year-old was discovered by a police patrol in Kununurra, Western Australia, on the evening of September 11, 2023.

She was flown to Darwin where she underwent emergency surgery for a serious head wound, but sadly succumbed to her injuries.

Her former partner has been charged with murder and breach of a family violence restraining order.

He is yet to enter a plea.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler asked national cabinet for needs based DV funding in the Territory. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Growing pressure to address escalating rates of violence against women nationally saw the Prime Minister convene an urgent national cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Anthony Albanese announced $925m over five years to help women escape violent relationships and introduce new legislation to ban deep fake pornography under a suite of measures to address the “national emergency” of gendered violence.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said she told national cabinet “loudly and clearly” the Territory needed more DV funding.

“We’re one per cent of the population, we don’t want one per cent of that $925 million. We want needs-based funding in the Northern Territory,” Ms Lawler said.

“It is absolutely a frustration for me and we want to see more dollars from the federal government.

“We will continue to put more money into DV in our own budget, but we also need substantially more money.”

A rally was held in Darwin on Tuesday, where Aboriginal male leaders including Charlie King and Eddie Fry told the crowd “men need to do more”.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said crime was “out of control” and Labor had no plan to address community safety.

“In eight years of Labor there has been a 82 per cent surge in domestic violence rates,” she said.

“Labor has removed mandatory sentencing for DV offences and doesn’t even require electronic monitoring of offenders who are bailed.

“The CLP will restore community safety in Week 1 of parliament by giving police better powers to deal with youth offenders and public drinking, strengthening the law, and delivering consequences for offending.”