At 20 years old, Declan Laverty had the world before him. According to loved ones, he was a hard worker with a wicked sense of humour, who got along with everyone. Declan was deeply loved.
During his shift at a Jingili bottle shop on the evening of 19 March 2023, Declan was fatally stabbed in the chest by a 19-year-old repeat offender who had been let out on bail.
The community were outraged, some were scared and many were heartbroken.
And Declan's mother, Samara Laverty - despite her unimaginable grief - demonstrated a strength and courage which united a community.
As a result, Territorians mobilised like never before, as thousands of people from all walks of life marched on Parliament to demand real change.
Declan's death and the protests that followed were the turning point for a Territory that said: enough is enough.
One of the first things we did as a new government was to introduce Declan's Law.
We put an end to the revolving door of bail. And we expanded police wanding powers to detect and deter knife crime, as part of our Reducing Crime strategy.
These changes are yielding real results as we reduce crime, put victims first, and hold offenders to account. But we have much more work to do, and we will stay the course.
Declan Laverty was a human face of crime in the Territory. His loss is a stark reminder of the human cost when government does nothing.
Declan's Law was the start. But Declan's legacy continues on in a safer Territory.
