A NSW Nationals Government will crack down on criminals and make communities safer by introducing new Adult Crime, Adult Time laws within the first 100 days of Government.
Labor has lost control of crime across NSW with young people increasingly at the centre – being recruited to carry out gangland hits, committing violent crimes and breaking into people’s homes.
The NSW Nationals have repeatedly put forward stronger laws, which include Anytime, Anywhere Knife Wanding laws and tougher penalties for those who recruit children to commit crimes, only to be met by opposition from the Minns Labor Government.
Under our reforms, the list of serious children’s indictable offences (SCIOs) would be expanded, meaning maximum adult sentences would apply to additional serious crimes.
The offences would be backed by guideline sentencing and new sentencing principles to ensure detention is not treated as a last resort, especially where that applies to multiple sentences. Greater weight will be given to victim impact rather than the age of the offender.
We will also double funding for the Community Safety Investment Fund to $10 million and fund expanded diversion, school suspension and post-detention rehabilitation programs to put young people back on the right track.
Leader of the Opposition Kellie Sloane said that under our plan victims would be put first and serious youth offenders will face real consequences for their crimes.
“I believe in tough love which means doing everything we can to support young people and put them on the right track. But if you commit a serious adult crime, there should be serious adult consequences,” Ms Sloane said.
“For too long youth offenders who have committed serious crimes in our state have faced consequences that don’t match community expectations. That will end under the NSW Nationals Adult Crime, Adult Time laws.”
NSW Nationals Leader Gurmesh Singh said regional NSW was dealing with a youth crime crisis and was sick of waiting for Labor to get tough on this issue.
“Regional NSW has had enough. From Moree to Dubbo, families, business owners and older Australians have had enough of living with violent crime and kids running riot,” Mr Singh said.
“We will put community safety first in regional NSW and ensure serious youth offenders get the book thrown at them for their crimes.”
Shadow Minister for Prevention of Regional Crime Brendan Moylan said the NSW Nationals would tackle serious youth crime through both prevention and consequences.
“We must tackle crime from all sides, intervening early, deterring offending and throwing the weight of the law at those who commit crimes to keep NSW communities safe,” Mr Moylan said.
BACKGROUND
The NSW Nationals Adult Crime, Adult Time laws will expand the list of Serious
Children’s Indictable Offences which must be tried in the District Court to include:
- Reckless grievous bodily harm – in company (Max 14 years)
- Aggravated robbery (Max penalty 20 years)
- Armed Robbery – in company (Max penalty 20 years)
- Firing a gun at a house or motor vehicle offences (Max penalty 14-16 years)
- Destroy or damage property by fire or explosives offences (Max penalty 10-12 years)
- Destroy or damage property by fire or explosive with intent to cause injury offences (Max penalty 14-16 years)
- Aggravated Carjacking (Max Penalty 14 years)
- Carjacking (Max penalty 10 years)
- Dangerous driving occasioning death/grievous bodily harm offences (Max penalty 7-14 years)
- Aggravated Break and enter & commit serious indictable offence (Max penalty 20 years)
- Break and enter & commit serious indictable offence (Max penalty 14 years)
The NSW Nationals will also increase investment in youth diversionary programs and rehabilitation programs to help kids at risk of offending and reducing youths who reoffend:
- Double the funding of the Community Safety Investment fund to $10 million, which supports community organisations to tackle youth crime, strengthen families and improve safety.
- Provide funding for the expansion of the Alternative Suspension program, which improves student behaviour and reduces the number of repeat school suspensions.
- Develop a new program to accompany our Adult Crime, Adult Time laws that will provide intensive reintegration and rehabilitation post detention modelled on Queensland’s, Staying on Track program.
Adult Crime, Adult Time laws forms part of the NSW Nationals plan for safer streets and stronger communities, which includes:
- Creating new offences of using a violence broker or acting as violence broker with a maximum penalty of 16 years or 20 years if a child is involved.
- Doubling the funding to the NSW Crime Commission to allow it to identify more
participants in organised crime and confiscate their unexplained wealth.
- Extending unexplained wealth orders so they apply to anyone reasonably suspected of acting as or using a violence broker.
- Reforms to give NSW police the power to conduct Anytime, Anywhere Knife Wanding searches in any public place.
- Proposed laws to protect children from extremist grooming and radicalisation.
