Member for Northern Tablelands, Brendan Moylan, has given notice in Parliament of the introduction of the ‘Regional Youth Crime Reform Bill,’ aiming to address ongoing concerns about youth crime in regional New South Wales.
Mr Moylan is expected to formally introduce the Bill either next week or during the March sittings of the NSW Parliament. The proposed legislation outlines three key changes designed to strengthen the legal response to youth crime in regional areas.
The Bill proposes:
- The reversal of doli incapax, a legal principle that presumes children under 14 are incapable of criminal intent.
- The removal of a loophole in section 22 of the Bail Act to prevent courts, including the Supreme Court, from granting bail to serious juvenile repeat offenders.
- A requirement for courts to place greater weight on the impact on victims when sentencing offenders.
The proposed reforms come in response to an increase in serious crime, particularly violent break-ins, across the Northern Tablelands over the past two years. Mr Moylan has emphasised the importance of community safety as the primary objective of the Bill.
Over the past year, the NSW Government has allocated significant funding to address youth crime. Moree has received $13.4 million for crime prevention programs, with an additional $2 million pledged last week. A further $4 million has been designated for Bourke and Kempsey to tackle similar issues.
While acknowledging the role of diversionary programs in crime prevention, Mr Moylan believes that serious repeat offenders must be held accountable.
“We must hold offenders accountable for the harm they cause innocent victims and the broader community,” he said.
“While diversionary programs are important, the community needs the laws to change so they are protected, and offenders are dealt with properly and not released without proper consequences. Continually throwing money at this problem won’t change it.
“We can’t keep doing the same thing and hoping for a different outcome. We need serious legislative change and this Bill is the start of the process. I was hoping the Government would introduce their own Bill; they haven’t done anything, so I will.”
The Bill is expected to generate debate as the government considers its approach to youth crime and community safety in regional areas.
