The NSW Nationals have called out the Minns Labor Government for voting down new legislation that would strengthen the bail act to improve safety for victims of family and domestic violence.
The Bail Amendment (Serious Personal Violence and Electronic Monitoring) Bill 2024 was introduced to Parliament this week but was not supported by the Labor Party or the cross bench.
The legislation proposed commonsense measures including:
1. Expanding the use of electronic monitoring devices to bail on serious domestic violence charges.
2. Expanding the grounds for staying the granting of bail for serious domestic violence charges.
3. Removing the power for registrars to determine bail for serious personal violence charges where bail is opposed, enabling magistrates to make orders from centralised locations if necessary.
Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said these changes would have had an immediate impact.
“Swift and decisive action needs to be taken to allow women to feel safe on the streets and in their own homes,” Mr Saunders said.
“This legislation would have made it harder for offenders to be released back out into our community, which is a great start in addressing this crisis.
“It is disappointing a bipartisan approach could not be reached.”
Mr Saunders said The Nationals proposed a package of sensible and measured changes to improve women’s safety in the wake of a series of devastating tragedies that have rocked our state.
“We invited the government and the crossbench to join us in supporting a constructive solution and we told them we would be willing to discuss and consider any amendments to our legislation.
“By not coming to the table, the government and cross bench have again delayed meaningful and critical change for women right across our state.”
