Federal minister Linda Burney has told how she and her staff tried to help after a woman was allegedly fatally stabbed just metres from them in Darwin.
The 51-year-old victim entered the lobby of the Doubletree Hilton, where the Indigenous Affairs minister and her team were staying, on Friday evening.
The bleeding woman had allegedly been fatally attacked by her partner outside the hotel on the esplanade and went into the lobby seeking help.
Ms Burney said in a statement that her staff tried to save the woman while she tried to assist distraught family members.
“The woman came into the hotel to seek help,” Ms Burney said in a statement on Saturday.
“Together with staff from the hotel, members of my staff provided assistance to the woman, and I comforted members of her family.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the woman’s family and her loved ones.
“I want to thank the hotel staff, the Northern Territory Police and the paramedics who attended.”
A 56-year-old man has since been charged with the woman’s murder after being arrested at the scene and taken into custody.
CCTV operators were able to direct police to the man who was still in the area, police said.
He is due to appear before court on Monday.
In a separate incident overnight, a 22-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly stabbing two people following an argument in the underground car park of the Casuarina Shopping Centre.
Paramedics treated a 41-year-old man at the scene for injuries to his leg and a 29-year-old woman was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital suffering non-life threatening injuries to her back.
The 22-year-old woman remains in custody.
