The Northern Territory's Child Commissioner is urging the implementation of strategies known to work "to ensure this will never happen again," in the wake of the alleged murder of a 71-year-old man in Darwin last week.
Grocery store owner Linford Feick died last week after being allegedly stabbed by 18-year-old Phillip Randel Maurice Parry. Mr Parry was remanded in custody after facing court for the first time on Monday.
In the wake of Mr Feick's death, the NT's Chief Minister announced parliament would be recalled to enact stricter bail laws after it was revealed Mr Parry was out on bail at the time of the alleged murder.
In a statement on Tuesday, Children's Commissioner Shahleena Musk said she was "devastated" at Mr Feick's death at the hands of violence in the community, arguing "No family should have to lose a loved one in this way".
The Larrakia woman and lawyer, who has more than two decades experience and was the first Aboriginal person admitted to the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, said the drivers of crime are complex and multi-faceted, which could not be solved by government intervention alone.
"I repeat my previous offers to be part of community-led solutions to address the root causes of crime," she said.
Since being elected in August last year, the CLP government has enacted a series of reforms - including lowering the age of criminal responsibility to ten.
Labelled punitive by advocates, they have been defended staunchly by the government, even as the number of inmates in watch houses and prisons - the vast majority of whom are Indigenous - has risen to record numbers.
In the wake of Mr Feick's death, the Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation said the "tragedy again highlights the urgent need for systemic change".
"I have personally written to both the Chief Minister and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in March, seeking their support for a formal initiative that empowers our senior Aboriginal lore men and women to lead culturally appropriate responses to this growing crisis," Larrakia Nation chief executive officer Michael Rotumah said.
"The time for words has passed. We need real investment in our solutions—led by our people, on our terms."
Ms Musk said she supported Larrakia Nation's statement, arguing governments have a responsibility to enact reforms that will be effective and responsive to issues impacting communities.
Whilst Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro responded to the incident by saying her government will introduce the "toughest bail laws" in Australia, Ms Musk cautioned against "easy fix" policies which disregard evidence and solutions from experts, community leaders and people with lived experience.
She argued law changes also required complementary policies, programs, community-based services, and support.
"I want to work with Government, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and the community sector to address crime so that all Territorians can be safe," she said.
"What we need is careful consideration of proposed legislative reforms matched by community services, supports and interventions that prevent crime from happening in the first place.
"Let's work together to do what we know works to ensure this will never happen again."
