Notice was given in Parliament last week to address the legislative concerns, due to what the National Party considers the NSW Government’s “narrow approach” to the issue.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said residents and families have had enough.

“Youth crime is gripping every corner of every rural and remote community and it’s getting worse and worse by the day,” Mr Saunders said.

“What we’re seeing here is a dribs and drabs approach rather than a statewide plan and it’s leaving most regional areas completely defenceless and having to fend for themselves.

“People are scared on the streets and scared in their homes, and we need swift and decisive action to stop our communities from being held to ransom by repeat youth offenders.”

The Nationals plan focuses on changes to the bail act to stop courts granting bail to serious repeat offenders, changes to “doli incapax” and amending the crimes sentencing procedure act to give more consideration to the harm that is caused to the victim.

“So far Labor’s changes have failed to prevent young criminals from reoffending or ‘posting and boasting’ and Chris Minns’ response seems to be throwing money at a couple of areas while the majority of regional NSW is screaming for help,” Mr Saunders said.

“The minimal funding that has been rolled out in the past couple of weeks is a drop in the ocean and won’t help put an end to this crisis.”

“Something needs to urgently change here because the current approach simply isn’t working and our residents, businesses and families need to know they are safe.”

Last Wednesday during Parliamentary Question Time, Police Minister Yasmin Catley updated the House on the State Government’s work to address regional youth crime.

“Mr Speaker, first I want to acknowledge that any crime, big or small, can have a huge impact on individuals, families and the broader community.

“Nobody wants to see communities living in fear – and certainly not this government.

“That is not the kind of society we want to live in.

“I want to stress that the Minns Labor Government and the New South Wales Police Force are doing everything they can to keep our regional communities safe.”

Ms Catley said police are “working around the clock to fight these crimes and arrest offenders”.

“It is our priority to address these serious crimes being committed by young people across regional NSW.

“That’s why Operational Regional Mongoose was stood up to prevent, disrupt and respond to escalating instances of these serious crimes.”

Between September 2023 and 20 January 2025, Operation Regional Mongoose arrested and charged 376 individuals (of which 238 were juveniles) in the state’s Northern Region.

Ms Catley told the House there was “no ‘one size fits all’ solution to these deeply entrenched problems”.

“We know we need to get to the bottom of the complex problems driving crime in our regional communities and tackle the root causes and drivers of this offending.

“If there was a silver bullet the previous Government would have done it – that much is obvious.”