Action on regional crime is needed - rather than a drawn-out political talk-fest - as the gap widens between crime rates in the city and the bush, the NSW police minister says.
Research released on Thursday showed significantly higher rates of violent and property crime persist in the state's regions compared to greater Sydney
“Since 2004, crime reductions in Sydney greatly exceeded those in the regions," NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said.
Motor vehicle theft and assaults increased significantly in regional areas in the year to December 2023 when compared to the same period in 2019.
Domestic violence-related assaults rose 24 per cent in regional areas compared to eight per cent in Sydney over the five-year period.
Sexual assault rates rose by an alarming 47 per cent across the state, including a 42 per cent jump in Sydney.
But Police Minister Yasmin Catley knocked back continued calls for a parliamentary inquiry into rural crime, saying she would not be happy waiting one or two years for MPs' recommendations on what to do.
"It is very clear that we need action now," she told reporters on Thursday.
"That is exactly why we stood with the premier two days ago and put in place the regional crime program."
That program aims to strengthen bail laws for two offences amid mayoral, police and public calls for action on youth crime in the regions.
Critics have drawn parallels to Queensland's tightening of youth bail laws and predicted worse outcomes for both children and society at large.
The proposed legislative overhaul includes a temporary, extra test for older children accused of repeat offending as well as extra funding for wraparound services in hard-hit Moree.
Ms Catley denied the focus on the northern NSW town was proof of the government kicking the can down the road on crime in other regional centres.
Police-led youth action meetings, where community groups co-design targeted plans for the most at-risk child offenders, were being rolled out to nine new areas, the minister said.
The crime data came as Australia's first stand-alone women's safety commissioner released a plan to address domestic, family and sexual violence.
The priority was placing people with lived experience at the centre of planning, designing and implementing policy and programs, Hannah Tonkin said.
Another focus on safe, integrated and accessible responses would include trying to get perpetrators to change their behaviour, she said.
"This is an area where we do need to see in the coming years more investment, more evaluation and essentially a greater focus," Dr Tonkin said.
"Because it is really important to address men's behaviour to support men to change their behaviour."
Progress on the plan's six priorities will be published annually by the Office of the Women's Safety Commissioner.
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