Matt Smith (Leichhardt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the great privileges of this role is speaking with community and getting in and amongst your constituents. Recently, though, I had a meeting with one of my constituents, Samara Laverty. It was a meeting that I frankly wish never had to happen, but it is a speech that I now have to make. Some in this place might know the name of her son, Declan Laverty. Declan was a bright 20-year-old who was living in Darwin. He worked at the local BWS, doing his best.

On the night of 19 March 2023, while at work, Declan was stabbed. He bled out within a minute, and he was gone. Samara told me in our meeting that the last act that Declan made as he lay bleeding was to text his mother one last time: 'I love you. I've been stabbed.' It was an attack the judge described as 'a random and violent attack on an innocent member of the public', both 'targeted' and 'unprovoked'. I sat with Samara for a bit over an hour. What do you say? How do you show any kind of thought or understanding for the pain that she must go through and the pain that she goes through again every day while explaining what happened? It was incredibly confronting, but it was also really appropriate. More people need to know this story. People should know how much damage can be done in 55 seconds. That's less time than I've been speaking in this chamber right now.

Through her loss, Samara has become a dedicated advocate to stop knife crime. Her work helped deliver Declan's law in the Northern Territory, and now she is home in Cairns. Samara wants to speak with young people. She wants them to know what the consequences are of choosing to have a knife on you, what that might look like, what grief and anguish and pain can happen due to a split-second decision and how it can all happen in under a minute. She doesn't want young people to throw away their futures.

Under her program, 55 Seconds, she wants to go into schools, meet with sporting clubs and make sure young people know that their actions have consequences. Samara isn't asking for funding but for an opportunity to speak directly to young people. The courage and love that that woman shows in reliving that moment to stop and save other people's children are truly incredible. If you want to help, the answer is simple. If you're involved in a school, sporting club or any other community group where there are teenagers, reach out to my office and we will put you in touch with Samara. Help us end knife crime. This is something that we all need to do together. I want to thank Samara for her courage and for bringing this to us all. I wish that we can all stop knife crime together. Thank you.