NT government to allow public to use pepper spray in self defence
The 12-month trial will allow the public to carry low-percentage Oleoresin Capsicum spray, better known as pepper spray, for self defence reasons and under strict legal conditions.
The NT has faced law and order issues over recent times, raising concerns within the community over safety and crime.
The Finocchiaro CLP government has passed a number of reforms since winning last year's election, including stricter bail laws and lowering the age of criminal responsibility.
'This initiative responds directly to community calls for more safety options and reflects the government's commitment to restoring the Territory lifestyle,' Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said.
The spray is made with a nonlethal substance that an cause a painful and burning sensation, and temporarily impair vision, allowing the victims to escape, but it is not as powerful as sprays handled by police.
Pepper spray is currently classified as a 'prohibited weapon' in the NT.
Ms Finocchiaro said the trial would give residents 'more choice when it comes to personal safety'.
'We're strengthening the frontline with more police, stronger laws and better prevention, but we also believe individuals should have lawful tools to protect themselves if needed,' she said.
Pepper spray will be available for purchase from licensed dealers across the NT from September 1, 2025, and will only be eligible under strict conditions
A person must be over 18 to purchase the pepper spray, show valid NT photo ID and have no relevant serious criminal history or domestic violence orders.
They must also be purchased in person from a licensed NT dealer.
The specifics of the trial will be determined alongside the NT Police, key stakeholders, industry bodies, licensees and the broader community.
A 'community oversight reference group' will also be established to oversee how the trial is run.
She said she believed the trial would be well-received by the NT community, based on the reaction from a similar trial in Western Australia.
Western Australia is currently the only state or territory to allow people to carry the nonlethal spray, under strict conditions.
'We've seen Western Australia undertake a similar trial, and it's provided valuable insights into how a controlled, lawful model can give people greater peace of mind without compromising public safety,' Ms Finocchiaro said.
'This is about equipping Territorians with more options, not less control.
'It's a practical step that balances personal responsibility with community safety, and we'll be watching the outcomes closely through reporting and evaluation.'
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Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
How ACA nearly derailed Netflix star's trial
A Territory judge has savaged a national television program for airing 'unfair' coverage on the eve of the trial of reality star Outback Wrangler Matt Wright. The Aussie reality television star has pleaded not guilty to three allegations of attempting to pervert the course of justice, following the chopper crash death of his mate and co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson three years ago. It took two hours for a jury pool of 107 Territorians to be whittled down into the final team of 12 jurors and two reservists on Tuesday. However overnight that careful selection process was put in jeopardy following the episode by A Current Affair. The segment was broadcast on A Current Affair. Credit: Supplied On Wednesday Justice Alan Blow ripped into the Channel Nine segment which he said threatened to 'abort' the high-profile celebrity trial. 'It was a piece of journalism that was aimed to suggest that Mr Wright is guilty of something — and that's not what TV journalists should be doing,' Justice Blow said. 'It's very important that Mr Wright gets a fair trial and watching that program could interfere with his right to a fair trial.' Justice Blow told the 12-person jury and two reservists that the program published a 'stale' witness list and a photo from the fatal helicopter crash site. 'This isn't a case about why the helicopter crashed,' he told the jury. 'It's not suggested that Mr Wright was responsible, in any way, for the crashing of the helicopter. 'If you watched the program, you might get the impression that he was responsible, and that he was guilty of something and that he's headed to jail for it. 'It was quite unfair and it created a danger of this trial having to be aborted.' Outback Wrangler Matt Wright and his wife Kaia Wright approaching the Supreme Court in Darwin. NewsWire/Pema Tamang Pakhrin Credit: News Corp Australia Only one juror out of the 14 members said he had watched the segment. Under questioning from Justice Blow, the juror said he would be able to remain impartial, and had not discussed the ACA show with any of his fellow jurors. Justice Blow then warned the remaining 13 Territorians to not try and access the program played on Tuesday night. 'It's an excellent example of what I told you not to do yesterday,' he said. 'Please don't try to find out about that program.' Both prosecutor Jason Gullaci and Defence senior counsel David Edwardson said they were comfortable with the current jury continuing. The trial continues.
The Advertiser
20 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Outback Wrangler star 'tampered with helicopter dash'
Reality TV star Matt Wright tampered with the dashboard of a helicopter after a fatal crash and falsely reported its fuel tank level, a jury has heard. The Outback Wrangler star's trial began on Wednesday, more than three years after Wright's mate and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson died in the outback chopper crash that left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the February 2022 incident in the Northern Territory. The trial got underway in the Supreme Court in Darwin with crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC outlining his case to the jury. None of the charges related to the cause of the crash and it was not alleged Wright was responsible for it, the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's injuries, Mr Gullaci said. The Crown case was Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned that crash investigations would uncover that, leading to charges against him and his companies. The jurors were told part of the evidence would be covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using listening devices. Mr Wilson died doing something "incredibly brave", dangling from a helicopter to collect crocodile eggs along the King River in Arnhem Land, Mr Gullaci said. He and Mr Robinson were working for Wright to lawfully collect the eggs for sale to crocodile farms. On the day of the crash, Wright was aware there would be investigations by aviation safety authorities and NT Police, leading to possible charges, Mr Gullaci said. Wright was the chief pilot, CEO and head of flight operations at his company Helibrook, Mr Gullaci said. As holder of an air operating certificate he was required to abide by all Australian civil aviation regulations to ensure safe operations. The Robinson R44 helicopter had a maximum flying-hour threshold of 2200 hours, at which time an operator had to decide to retire the aircraft or give it an overhaul costing more than $400,000. The case was about Wright engaging in practices to not properly record flying hours, including evidence that Hobbs flight-time recording meters were deliberately disconnected, Mr Gullaci said. "If you don't properly record service hours, you put off the maintenance and service requirements. It's a way of extending the life of the aircraft." That meant the 2200-hour limit could be passed by hundreds of hours and that affected airworthiness, Mr Gullaci said. The prosecution case was Wright was aware his pilots routinely disconnected Hobbs meters and did not accurately record their flying hours in log books - to make sure the meters and log books matched. The jury was told they would hear covertly recorded conversations between Wright and his wife Kaia in which he said: "I don't write shit down ... I will be guilty of not keeping my paperwork up to speed." They would also hear from pilots that Wright regularly asked them not to record flying hours in their log books. Investigations concluded the crashed helicopter was likely over its 2200 hours and its Hobbs meter was not working, Mr Gullaci said. "The rules are it shouldn't have been flying." Wright immediately choppered to the crash site on the day and "played around with the dash", the Crown alleging he was trying to see if the Hobbs meter was disconnected," Mr Gullaci said. "From the outset he attempts to cover up previous rule-breaking." Wright said in a statutory declaration to police he had seen about half a tank of fuel in the crashed chopper. But covert recording of Mr Wright showed he did not believe that, saying on the phone, "I didn't see any f***ing fuel in the tank - zero", Mr Gullaci told the jury. Wright made the statutory declaration with intent to obstruct investigations and avoid suggestions the aircraft operated without adequate fuel or there was a fuel line problem, the prosecutor said. Reality TV star Matt Wright tampered with the dashboard of a helicopter after a fatal crash and falsely reported its fuel tank level, a jury has heard. The Outback Wrangler star's trial began on Wednesday, more than three years after Wright's mate and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson died in the outback chopper crash that left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the February 2022 incident in the Northern Territory. The trial got underway in the Supreme Court in Darwin with crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC outlining his case to the jury. None of the charges related to the cause of the crash and it was not alleged Wright was responsible for it, the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's injuries, Mr Gullaci said. The Crown case was Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned that crash investigations would uncover that, leading to charges against him and his companies. The jurors were told part of the evidence would be covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using listening devices. Mr Wilson died doing something "incredibly brave", dangling from a helicopter to collect crocodile eggs along the King River in Arnhem Land, Mr Gullaci said. He and Mr Robinson were working for Wright to lawfully collect the eggs for sale to crocodile farms. On the day of the crash, Wright was aware there would be investigations by aviation safety authorities and NT Police, leading to possible charges, Mr Gullaci said. Wright was the chief pilot, CEO and head of flight operations at his company Helibrook, Mr Gullaci said. As holder of an air operating certificate he was required to abide by all Australian civil aviation regulations to ensure safe operations. The Robinson R44 helicopter had a maximum flying-hour threshold of 2200 hours, at which time an operator had to decide to retire the aircraft or give it an overhaul costing more than $400,000. The case was about Wright engaging in practices to not properly record flying hours, including evidence that Hobbs flight-time recording meters were deliberately disconnected, Mr Gullaci said. "If you don't properly record service hours, you put off the maintenance and service requirements. It's a way of extending the life of the aircraft." That meant the 2200-hour limit could be passed by hundreds of hours and that affected airworthiness, Mr Gullaci said. The prosecution case was Wright was aware his pilots routinely disconnected Hobbs meters and did not accurately record their flying hours in log books - to make sure the meters and log books matched. The jury was told they would hear covertly recorded conversations between Wright and his wife Kaia in which he said: "I don't write shit down ... I will be guilty of not keeping my paperwork up to speed." They would also hear from pilots that Wright regularly asked them not to record flying hours in their log books. Investigations concluded the crashed helicopter was likely over its 2200 hours and its Hobbs meter was not working, Mr Gullaci said. "The rules are it shouldn't have been flying." Wright immediately choppered to the crash site on the day and "played around with the dash", the Crown alleging he was trying to see if the Hobbs meter was disconnected," Mr Gullaci said. "From the outset he attempts to cover up previous rule-breaking." Wright said in a statutory declaration to police he had seen about half a tank of fuel in the crashed chopper. But covert recording of Mr Wright showed he did not believe that, saying on the phone, "I didn't see any f***ing fuel in the tank - zero", Mr Gullaci told the jury. Wright made the statutory declaration with intent to obstruct investigations and avoid suggestions the aircraft operated without adequate fuel or there was a fuel line problem, the prosecutor said. Reality TV star Matt Wright tampered with the dashboard of a helicopter after a fatal crash and falsely reported its fuel tank level, a jury has heard. The Outback Wrangler star's trial began on Wednesday, more than three years after Wright's mate and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson died in the outback chopper crash that left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the February 2022 incident in the Northern Territory. The trial got underway in the Supreme Court in Darwin with crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC outlining his case to the jury. None of the charges related to the cause of the crash and it was not alleged Wright was responsible for it, the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's injuries, Mr Gullaci said. The Crown case was Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned that crash investigations would uncover that, leading to charges against him and his companies. The jurors were told part of the evidence would be covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using listening devices. Mr Wilson died doing something "incredibly brave", dangling from a helicopter to collect crocodile eggs along the King River in Arnhem Land, Mr Gullaci said. He and Mr Robinson were working for Wright to lawfully collect the eggs for sale to crocodile farms. On the day of the crash, Wright was aware there would be investigations by aviation safety authorities and NT Police, leading to possible charges, Mr Gullaci said. Wright was the chief pilot, CEO and head of flight operations at his company Helibrook, Mr Gullaci said. As holder of an air operating certificate he was required to abide by all Australian civil aviation regulations to ensure safe operations. The Robinson R44 helicopter had a maximum flying-hour threshold of 2200 hours, at which time an operator had to decide to retire the aircraft or give it an overhaul costing more than $400,000. The case was about Wright engaging in practices to not properly record flying hours, including evidence that Hobbs flight-time recording meters were deliberately disconnected, Mr Gullaci said. "If you don't properly record service hours, you put off the maintenance and service requirements. It's a way of extending the life of the aircraft." That meant the 2200-hour limit could be passed by hundreds of hours and that affected airworthiness, Mr Gullaci said. The prosecution case was Wright was aware his pilots routinely disconnected Hobbs meters and did not accurately record their flying hours in log books - to make sure the meters and log books matched. The jury was told they would hear covertly recorded conversations between Wright and his wife Kaia in which he said: "I don't write shit down ... I will be guilty of not keeping my paperwork up to speed." They would also hear from pilots that Wright regularly asked them not to record flying hours in their log books. Investigations concluded the crashed helicopter was likely over its 2200 hours and its Hobbs meter was not working, Mr Gullaci said. "The rules are it shouldn't have been flying." Wright immediately choppered to the crash site on the day and "played around with the dash", the Crown alleging he was trying to see if the Hobbs meter was disconnected," Mr Gullaci said. "From the outset he attempts to cover up previous rule-breaking." Wright said in a statutory declaration to police he had seen about half a tank of fuel in the crashed chopper. But covert recording of Mr Wright showed he did not believe that, saying on the phone, "I didn't see any f***ing fuel in the tank - zero", Mr Gullaci told the jury. Wright made the statutory declaration with intent to obstruct investigations and avoid suggestions the aircraft operated without adequate fuel or there was a fuel line problem, the prosecutor said. Reality TV star Matt Wright tampered with the dashboard of a helicopter after a fatal crash and falsely reported its fuel tank level, a jury has heard. The Outback Wrangler star's trial began on Wednesday, more than three years after Wright's mate and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson died in the outback chopper crash that left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the February 2022 incident in the Northern Territory. The trial got underway in the Supreme Court in Darwin with crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC outlining his case to the jury. None of the charges related to the cause of the crash and it was not alleged Wright was responsible for it, the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's injuries, Mr Gullaci said. The Crown case was Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned that crash investigations would uncover that, leading to charges against him and his companies. The jurors were told part of the evidence would be covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using listening devices. Mr Wilson died doing something "incredibly brave", dangling from a helicopter to collect crocodile eggs along the King River in Arnhem Land, Mr Gullaci said. He and Mr Robinson were working for Wright to lawfully collect the eggs for sale to crocodile farms. On the day of the crash, Wright was aware there would be investigations by aviation safety authorities and NT Police, leading to possible charges, Mr Gullaci said. 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The prosecution case was Wright was aware his pilots routinely disconnected Hobbs meters and did not accurately record their flying hours in log books - to make sure the meters and log books matched. The jury was told they would hear covertly recorded conversations between Wright and his wife Kaia in which he said: "I don't write shit down ... I will be guilty of not keeping my paperwork up to speed." They would also hear from pilots that Wright regularly asked them not to record flying hours in their log books. Investigations concluded the crashed helicopter was likely over its 2200 hours and its Hobbs meter was not working, Mr Gullaci said. "The rules are it shouldn't have been flying." Wright immediately choppered to the crash site on the day and "played around with the dash", the Crown alleging he was trying to see if the Hobbs meter was disconnected," Mr Gullaci said. "From the outset he attempts to cover up previous rule-breaking." Wright said in a statutory declaration to police he had seen about half a tank of fuel in the crashed chopper. But covert recording of Mr Wright showed he did not believe that, saying on the phone, "I didn't see any f***ing fuel in the tank - zero", Mr Gullaci told the jury. Wright made the statutory declaration with intent to obstruct investigations and avoid suggestions the aircraft operated without adequate fuel or there was a fuel line problem, the prosecutor said.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Missing man found alive in desert by Indigenous group, days after police called off search
A 26-year-old former Melburnian has been found alive after spending seven days lost in the remote desert west of Alice Springs – thanks to the persistence of his community, after police called off their search. Members of the local South Sudanese community, led by the African Association of Central Australia, continued the search for Gach Top after police suspended efforts five days into their search. Roughly 30 young men and women, mobilised by association chair Chuol Yat, combed 10 kilometres of terrain for up to five hours on Monday with the hope that Top was still alive. 'The community search was a result of the police decision to suspend the search after five days … the community still had hope that Gach would be found alive,' he said. Loading After hours of searching, Top was eventually found by a local Indigenous community, who notified his family. 'He was wrapped in a blanket and was exhausted,' Yat said. 'The family, including the community, are overjoyed because many of us felt that this young man was not dead. He was found alive, and everybody was so happy.' Top had been missing since late afternoon on Monday, July 28, and was last seen wearing a red or orange puffer jacket, cream-coloured tracksuit pants, and dark-coloured runners. NT Police said the alarm was raised after 'he failed to attend work for a rostered shift that night … Gach was driving his red Mazda CX5, which was located [that Monday] morning by police'.
