The Northern Territory's new conservative government has followed Queensland's lead by pushing through changes to bail and weapon laws in a bid to stamp out knife crime.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro on Wednesday night described as a "historic moment" the passage of legislation known as Declan's Law.
An election promise of her Country Liberal Party, the changes will extend police powers to search and seize weapons from anyone over the age of 10, and give all violent offenders a presumption against bail.
The grieving mother of Declan Laverty has agreed that under the laws her son, who was murdered, could have been convicted for carrying a knife at the time of his death.
"Yes, he would have been caught if he'd had the knife outside of work under the new bail laws and the knife crime laws, but that would have been an issue that he would have dealt with at the time," Samara Laverty said.
"I also know that he only had that knife at work because he and I had discussions about it."
Standing alongside Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro on Wednesday, before the bill passed, Ms Laverty said she was "sick of the victim blaming".
She reiterated her son had been cleared of all wrongdoing by the courts following his fatal stabbing in 2023.
In June, a Supreme Court jury found Keith Kerinauia, 20, guilty of murdering bottle shop employee Declan Laverty following an eight-day trial.
Mr Laverty's death caused widespread public outcry in the NT and became an essential part of the CLP's pitch ahead of their election victory when the party promised to name a suite of repeals in his name.
Those changes were tabled on the second sitting day of parliament on Wednesday, when Ms Finocchiaro's government amended five pieces of legislation on urgency.
The suite of justice repeals included lowering the age of criminal responsibility, criminalising public drunkenness, posting and boasting and ram raid legislation.
"There are a number of reasons why someone can carry a knife," Ms Finocchiaro said.
"What I will say is that this is about protecting Territorians from violent crime.
"We very clearly said that serious violent offenders should start on the back foot, and we know that our police need greater flexibility in wanding powers to be able to do their job."
Opposition shadow attorney-general Chansey Paech said the amendments mean young people could face criminal charges for arriving late home while under court mandated curfews.
"This means that if they are home a few minutes late and breach their curfew, they will be charged with a new criminal offence," he said.
"This is setting them up to fail. It is setting them up to become career criminals."
Mr Paech also said that under the bail laws women defending themselves against domestic violence could be arrested.
The changes are expected to take effect within months.
