Concerns regional councils and communities across NSW have raised regarding rising levels of youth crime in the past 12 months look set to be acted on, after the NSW Government announced a $26.2 million package of reforms and initiatives to support community safety and wellbeing.
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The announcement, made on Tuesday, March 12, is specifically directed at regional NSW, with a focus on strengthening early intervention and prevention programs for young people.
The package includes legislative reforms to create a new offence for "posting and boasting" about criminal behaviour, and an amendment to the Bail Act for a temporary additional bail test for young people between 14 and 18 charged with committing certain serious break and enter offences or motor vehicle theft offences while on bail for the same offences.
It also includes special provisions for Moree, and follows Premier Minns' visit to meet with mayor Mark Johnson and his council on Thursday, February 22.
Speaking to the Leader on Monday, March 11, Cr Johnson said Premier Minns had held "engaging" and "genuine" discussion with the council during the fleeting February visit.
The NSW Government will invest $13.4 million for a targeted response in Moree to address crime, support young people and improve community safety. This will act as a pilot program, and if the approach proves successful will inform actions to address similar concerns in other regional communities.
Upon hearing Tuesday's news, Cr Johnson was quick to say "thank you" to the NSW Government.
"It's hard not to be moved by this [announcement] and the support the Premier and his government have given not only Moree but the state," Mr Johnson said.
Cr Johnson said providing in excess of $26 million for reforms in regional NSW was "quite incredible", as was strengthening the Bail Act and the new legislation to criminalise "posting and boasting" content on social media platforms.
A 'significant' move
"This is a significant move for a government," Cr Johnson said.
"The $13.4 million for Moree ... I still can't quite comprehend it to be honest.
"Many of the items mentioned [in the announcement] are items we discussed with the Premier and people from his department, so to be heard and to see that being put into action for a community leader is just breathtakingly really."
Cr Johnson said he was "really excited" about some of the initiatives earmarked for Moree, noting the new $8.75 million bail accommodation support service.
"This is something that's really been lacking here - there's not a lot of support for the kids after they've been charged and released, so for the courts and police to have some kind of safe space they can release the kids in for counselling, medical and health help is vitally important - and something else we pushed for with the Premier," he said.
"Things like the action plan and service review within the next six months is something we also pushed for - we've got in excess of 50 agencies in our town in this space and if you speak to the agencies there needs to be further collaboration and accountability within that space
"To have that review to make sure all of those resources are being outcome driven and are focused on the result is very comforting, and to have those services being extended through the evening.
"Most of those services only operate from 9am to 5pm and that's not necessarily the major risk space for regional towns - it's after 5pm. To have those services and the resources available post 5pm is vitally important."
Feeling positive in Moree
Cr Johnson said it was hard not to feel "positive" about the announcement.
"Obviously, the proof will be in the pudding but it's a great start," he said.
"We needed change, and significant change, and we've got it - and we're feeling pretty good."
Cr Johnson said he was "an eternal optimist", and was "really hopeful" for the future of the troubled North West town.
"There's not one thing that can fix this problem, and a lot of money is essential, but that's not necessarily going to fix it - it's up to the whole community," he said.
"We need to start that from when these children are born, and follow through the education and health system," he said.
"I've said hundreds of times - the police and courts are negative deterrents, what we need is life to be a positive deterrent.
"I'm hoping some of today's announcements are going to provide that for these kids, and they will think twice about committing a crime, instead make a positive contribution to the community."
What can Moree expect?
The specific Moree initiatives will include:
- additional judicial resources for Local (and Children's) Court jurisdictions (including associated Legal Aid, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Police costs) for 6 months and additional Aboriginal Legal Service funding
- a new $8.75 million bail accommodation and support service in Moree for young people, to be co-designed by Government and community stakeholders. This will provide police and courts with more options to put a young person on bail with higher confidence that they will not reoffend
- young Aboriginal people would be linked to Indigenous organisations, elders, cultural and family supports from their own communities with skilled, qualified, trained and consistent staff on site 24/7 providing child-safe care
- an action plan within six months to optimise service delivery in Moree to ensure that services provide maximum benefit to the Moree community, including much better coordination, accountability and improving the availability of night-time and out of hours services and youth places
- out of hours activities, to be delivered in partnership with the Moree Plains Shire Council and Aboriginal community controlled organisations- including potential subsidised entry and extended hours at facilities such as the Moree LGA pools, the Moree Sports Health Arts and Education Academy (SHAE) and the PCYC
- continuing NSW Police Force operations in the Moree area to meet community needs. This includes continuing to surge operational resources. In addition, the Youth Command will continue Operation Youth Safe which combines education and early intervention to at risk children.
Crime rates higher in regional areas
Data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR) shows crime rates in regional NSW remains higher than in metropolitan areas.
There are also reports of an emerging phenomenon of offenders posting recordings of their offending behaviour on social media, particularly in relation to motor vehicle offending.
The report notes this type of 'performance crime' may also encourage others, specifically young people, to engage in similar criminal behaviour.
The NSW Government has noted it is clear the current status quo was not working for young people who were re-offending and being caught up in this cycle, and that it was not working for the communities where these activities were occurring and people do not feel safe.
Statewide initiatives
The NSW Government will also invest $12.9 million to fund a new range of state-wide regional crime prevention initiatives including:
- expansion of Youth Action Meetings (YAMs) in nine Police Districts
- expansion of the Safe Aboriginal Youth Patrol Program to an additional five Closing the Gap priority locations (to be determined in consultation with communities), reducing the risk of young Aboriginal people being victims of crime, and the risk they will become persons of interest in relation to a crime
- the Government will also continue the roll out of $7.5 million in Justice Reinvestment grants with grant funding available to recipients as early as June 2024.
Premier Minns said it was hoped these reforms would help protect the community and significantly lift support for young people and disadvantaged communities, and were informed by months of engagement with regional communities across NSW.
