Aboriginal organisation urges 'systemic change' in wake of Darwin supermarket fatal stabbing

Australia Broadcast Center

25-04-2025

The organisation representing Darwin's Aboriginal traditional owners has called on the Northern Territory's land councils to "stand up" and do more to help stamp out violent crime.
Larrakia Nation's chief executive Michael Rotumah made the comments in the wake of the death of Nightcliff grocer Linford Feick, who was fatally stabbed by an alleged shoplifter on Wednesday.
Linford Feick, 71, was fatally stabbed while working at his Nightcliff store on Wednesday.
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The 18-year-old alleged offender was out on bail at the time of the incident, and police said his bail conditions included the condition of needing to stay in a remote Top End Aboriginal community.
The young Aboriginal man has since
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Linford Feick is remembered as a "true legend" with a "heart of gold", as the Darwin community gathers to remember the local grocer who was stabbed to death at his store.
Mr Rotumah, a traditional owner of Wauk (Murgenella) and Croker Island in West Arnhem Land, said "systemic change" was needed to make a difference to
Mr Rotumah said remote community leaders and NT land councils needed to be at the forefront of such a shift.
The NT's four Aboriginal land councils represent the interests of remote communities across the territory.
"I think it's time that land councils actually stood up and stopped pointing the finger," he said.
Michael Rotumah says "systemic change" is needed to reduce crime in the NT.
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"They need to say 'right, we are also responsible for our people'.
"We're here to work with government, we're here to work with Larrakia as traditional owners on this country where primarily a lot of visitors are coming to, and work together to deliver change."
The Larrakia Nation leader said NT land councils needed to take more responsibility for helping get people back to their remote home communities, particularly those sleeping rough in Darwin.
He also urged remote community leaders, "traditional lore men and women", to be more involved.
"I think it's around respect," Mr Rotumah said.
"We don't see Larrakia people going to other areas of the Northern Territory and behaving poorly on their country.
"It's around educating and reminding people, this is also Aboriginal land — Darwin is Aboriginal land, and it's the land of the Larrakia people."
Land council calls for end to 'bandaids'
In response, Matthew Ryan, the chair of the NT's biggest and most influential Aboriginal land council, the Northern Land Council, agreed that Aboriginal groups needed to lead the charge for change.
Northern Land Council chairman Matthew Ryan.
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"On behalf of the Northern Land Council I extend my deepest and sincere condolences to Mr Feick's family following his tragic death," Mr Ryan said.
"There is no place for the violent actions that have caused such devastating and avoidable loss of life.
"The NLC has repeatedly called on the NT government to listen to Aboriginal people and community leaders, and to invest in programs that will address the root causes of these very complex issues.
"But our calls have fallen on deaf ears with successive governments opting for short-term bandaids rather than working with us to fix systemic problems.
"Organisations like Larrakia Nation are on the ground, showing leadership and delivering critical services against the backdrop of a broken system."
Government insists it's working on long-term fixes
On Thursday, in response to Mr Feick's death, the NT government

Mr Rotumah said the new laws would further target Aboriginal people, and urged the government to focus more on fixing the root causes of the crime.
"We need proper investment in remote communities around housing, education pathways, leadership, and that's what we're hoping to support and work with government [towards]," he said.
Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said the NT was experiencing a troubling increase in knife-related violence and urgent action was needed.
Bouquets of flowers outside the Territory Friendly Grocer, where Linford Feick was fatally stabbed.
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However, she said the solution was not necessarily tougher laws and more arrests.
"It's clear that more must be done to prevent crime, not just react to it," she said.
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A woman addresses the media in a press confernece.
The NT government has promised to urgently pass new bail laws to bring the territory in-line with Victoria and NSW.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said on Thursday she agreed it was "incredibly important" to address the root causes of crime, but her government was addressing the most urgent matters first.
"This is a crisis that requires a crisis response," she said.
She cited the government's creation of the circuit breaker program, family responsibility agreements, strengthening of parental accountability and work to address low school attendance as examples of long-term solutions it was working towards.