Royalties-fuelled drinking trip ends in Alice Springs stabbing; government pushes back on expanded BDR trial

A man was stabbed in Alice Springs after a group from a dry community travelled to drink with royalty money; the government resists calls to expand alcohol bans.

A man is still in a critical condition after he had to be flown to Adelaide for treatment following the stabbing. Picture: The Australian

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Northern Territory police believe a daylight stabbing in front of shocked families last week occurred because those involved had received a “huge amount” of royalty payments and travelled from a dry community to Alice Springs to drink.

Stabbing victim Vernon Gibson had to be flown to Adelaide following the alcohol-related ­attack on Thursday, which began at a popular bar before spilling out on the street.

The latest episode of public ­violence came as the Territory government rejected opposition calls for a trial to expand the Banned Drinker Register (BDR) to include pubs, clubs and bars, with Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro saying laws had already been strengthened and should not be targeting patrons simply having dinner at a restaurant.

Multiple sources have told The Australian Mr Gibson, along with the man accused of stabbing him, Kaine Fisher, and others, had travelled from the dry community of Nyirrpi, about seven hours west of Alice Springs, to drink after receiving their royalty payments.

Last week, royalties to the tune of over $1.1m were paid by the Warlpiri Aboriginal Corporation, with an association affiliated with the families involved in the fight believed to have received part of that payment worth $136,908.16, according to documents obtained by The Australian.

Police are also still searching for a separate man who is believed to have fled Alice Springs, who could be seen in the video in the aftermath of the first stabbing, ­allegedly attempting to stab another man. He is not believed to be involved in the alleged stabbing of Mr Gibson.

Police are also still searching for a separate man who is believed to have fled Alice Springs who could be seen in the video in the aftermath of the first stabbing allegedly attempting to stab another man. Picture: The Australian

Sources say a disagreement ensued when Mr Gibson accused Mr Fisher of assaulting a relative. Mr Gibson allegedly armed himself with steak knives before being disarmed by another person and then being stabbed by Mr Fisher in front of shocked onlookers who rendered him assistance.

NT police commander James Grey-Spence said the incident was “not part of any broader ­conflict”.

“Police are working closely with traditional owners, elders, community members, land ­councils, and other government agencies to enhance community safety and prevent further incidents,” he said.

The Australian revealed last week that Mr Fisher had faced court on almost a dozen occasions as an adult for serious offences, including being armed in public and aggravated assault.

In March 2023, Mr Fisher was convicted of aggravated assault and escaping lawful custody, for which he was placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond and an eight-month wholly suspended jail sentence.

In November 2022 he pleaded guilty to breaching his bail and was fined $650. In March 2023 he was sentenced to four weeks’ jail and a 12-month good behaviour bond for being armed in public.

He was also hit with two charges of aggravated assault in relation to a separate incident, which was mentioned in his first court appearance on Monday since the public attack. In relation to the stabbing attack, he was charged with intending to cause serious harm and going armed in public.

NT Opposition Leader Selina Uibo called for a trial to expand the Banned Drinker Register to include pubs and clubs.

“If someone is banned from purchasing takeaway alcohol, they should also lose the privilege of drinking in licensed venues,” Ms Uibo said.

“This is no different to showing ID at the door of a sports club or any licenced venue on the Gold Coast & Cairns, but it will make a real difference in stopping alcohol-fuelled violence from spilling into our venues and onto our streets,” she said.

Ms Finocchiaro slammed the suggestion as “ridiculous” on ABC Radio, saying public drinking laws had already been strengthened. “We have to change behaviour,” she said. “If we can do that while we’re dealing with the root causes, then we’ll actually get somewhere, but targeting people having dinner at a restaurant or a pub, that’s not where alcohol-fuelled harm is.”

In parliament on Tuesday, Ms Finocchiaro accused the NT opposition of pretending “the last eight years never happened” after being questioned by Ms Uibo about a shortage of police and rise in crime in Katherine.

“It’s like a magical fairy came and waved some special fairy dust on the Opposition Leader, and she’s absolved of all and any responsibility or memory of anything that happened prior to August last year?

“We’ve inherited an absolutely crippled, broken, dilapidated, forgotten system that we are fixing,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“They didn’t wake up under a CLP government and decide to be a criminal, they were criminals because of your framework, they were criminals because you didn’t empower the bush.”