Balin Stewart death: Shattered family launches #BinthebladeforBalin campaign

Shattered parents of alleged stabbing murder victim Balin Stewart, 16, have launched a campaign to end knife violence and ensure their son’s death leads to safer communities.

A heartbroken beachside community has vowed to turn the tragic death of a much-loved teenager into an end to the ‘knife culture’ currently thriving among youths.

Sixteen-year-old Buddina teen and popular Sunshine Coast Grammar School Year 11 student Balin Stewart died outside his Iluka Ave home on Thursday, January 20, after he was allegedly stabbed in the torso by another boy, 17.

Tributes have poured out in the week since Balin’s tragic death as friends from all over the Sunshine Coast expressed their grief.

Balin’s father, Michael, honoured his son earlier this week and revealed he held no malice towards the 17-year-old charged with his son’s murder after the tragic late-night incident.

Family, friends farewell popular Sunshine Coast teen Balin Stewart

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He revealed his son’s alleged murderer was distraught after an alleged prearranged meeting turned into an altercation and ended in Balin’s alleged stabbing death.

The boy called the police and ambulance and remained on scene and Balin’s dad said he had implored his son’s friends in the past week not to take matters into their own hands.

“Both kids are good kids,” Mr Stewart told the Sunshine Coast Daily on Tuesday.

If committed the boy’s matters are set to remain in the Childrens Court with his matters adjourned until March 30.

As hundreds of Balin’s friends begin the task of piecing their life together without their best mate – Mr Stewart and his wife Kerri-Lyn, joined by their family and friends – have begun the task of making sure something positive can come from their devastation.

Father Michael Stewart leads friends and family to the beach tribute of 16-year-old alleged stabbing victim Balin Stewart on his home beach at Buddina. Picture: Lachie Millard

The #BinthebladeforBalin campaign has started on social media while binthebladeforbalin.com.au was launched this week as the group urged youths to ditch knives to prevent further needless bloodshed.

“We want to rid the youth culture of today of the need to carry a knife,” Mr Stewart said.

“We want to make the Sunshine Coast a safer place.”

Mr Stewart said they were still working out whether the campaign would stay online or develop into a fully-fledged foundation but the willpower was there to ensure Balin’s death could spark positive change.

Queensland Government Statistician’s Office data in the 2019-20 Queensland Crime Report released last year showed there had been 42 assaults resulting in grievous bodily harm on the Sunshine Coast in that year despite Covid-19 containment orders coming into play from March, 2020.

Forty armed robberies, some involving knives, were also recorded in 2019-20 on the Sunshine Coast.

Balin Stewart, 16, who was allegedly stabbed to death outside his Buddina home on January 20. Picture: Supplied

News Corp Australia reported in late-2020 that knife crime was increasing across Queensland with the number of people busted carrying knives up 37 per cent since 2015.

Between January and November, 2020, 15 people had been killed due to knife violence across the state and 4551 people had been charged with possessing a knife in a public place.

In May, 2021, the Queensland Police Service launched its ‘I live my life … without a knife’ campaign to reduce knife crime after it had shot up 33 per cent from 2016-2021.

Sunshine Coast Police Child Protection and Investigation Unit officer in charge Detective Senior Sergeant Phil Hurst said the events in Buddina last week were “obviously concerning”.

“Queensland had a campaign to ‘live your life without a knife’ exactly for these types of concerns,” Sergeant Hurst said.

Kerri-Lyn Stewart at the beach tribute for her son, alleged stabbing victim Balin Stewart, 16, at his home beach at Buddina. Picture: Lachie Millard

“When a knife is carried by young people, they are used at times and they do have these tragic outcomes.

“This is a tragic circumstance for the family, for the people who responded and for everyone involved.”

Sergeant Hurst revealed support would be offered to the officers who responded on Thursday night, as well as the family and neighbours, after police took over CPR from bystanders for 10-15 minutes until paramedics arrived.

“It’s been traumatic for those who responded and the members of the public,” Sergeant Hurst said.

Stewart family friend and nearby Buddina resident Rachael Bermingham had joined the family in the #BinthebladeforBalin campaign while spending the past week helping care for Balin’s grieving friends.

She took to social media to call on other parents to help with their efforts and ensure youths were safe in their neighbourhoods.

Family and friends of Balin Stewart throw flowers in tribute on his home beach at Buddina. Picture: Lachie Millard

“Please check on these kids in the coming weeks, months and years – please keep your arms open to them and embrace their beautiful and broken spirits so they don’t fall in between the cracks,” Ms Bermingham wrote.

“It will take a community to help them be all that they’re meant to be again.

“Please help Balin’s parents Mick and Kez (Michael and Kerri-Lyn) by having a conversation with your sons and daughters about knives and not carrying them.

“Bin it for Balin. I don’t want any other families, or mine, to go through this again. I hope by the time my twins become teens that they don’t and I don’t fear this happening again.”

A celebration of Balin’s life will be held at Sunshine Coast Stadium, Bokarina, at 10am on Thursday, February 3 with attendees asked to wear a white shirt.

Originally published as Balin Stewart death: Shattered family launches #BinthebladeforBalin campaign