Bail and weapons offences review

In March 2023 government announced an immediate review of the bail laws for people who engage in offences involving weapons, including the presumption for and against bail.

In April 2023, a Bail and Weapons Offences Review Taskforce (the Taskforce) was established to do this work and also consider the need for any other legislative amendments relevant to offences involving weapons to improve community safety.

The Taskforce included representatives from:

• Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services
• Department of the Attorney General and Justice including Northern Territory Correctional Services
• Director of Public Prosecutions
• Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities.

The primary purpose of the Taskforce was to provide recommendations to government about whether any changes to bail presumptions for charges involving weapons and penalties related to weapon offences, or any other related legislative amendments, are necessary. The overall focus was to consider increasing community safety.

The Taskforce considered the matters within the terms of reference and have now completed a report to Government.

Recommendations

Priority 1

The Taskforce does not recommend any further amendments be made to the presumption for and against bail in the Bail Act.

Priority 2

Some of the recommendations made under priority 2 include:

1. developing a targeted knife strategy for the Northern Territory to address knife crime
2. strengthening and extending bail support programs and bail supported accommodation
3. speedier resolution of matters through the court
4. greater education of the judiciary and prosecutors about the risk of reoffending by certain groups of defendants
5. introducing a law similar to Queensland’s Police Powers and Responsibilities (Jack’s Law) Amendment Act 2023 to help detect weapons before they are used in offending and better powers to seize and confiscate weapons when found.

Read the full Bail and Weapons Offence Review Taskforce report PDF (3.5 MB) and recommendations.