Kellie Sloane
Leader of the Opposition
NSW Liberal Leader
Gurmesh Singh
Leader of the Nationals
Anthony Roberts
Shadow Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism
Susan Carter
Acting Shadow Attorney General
Acting Shadow Minister for Youth Justice
Brendan Moylan
Shadow Minister for Prevention of Regional Crime
A Sloane Liberal and 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 Liberals and 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 Liberals and 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 Police and Counter-terrorism Anthony Roberts said police officers were sick of arresting the same serious youth criminals just to see them back on the streets.
"Our police do a great job keeping our communities safe, we need to back them with laws to ensure that serious youth offenders face proper consequences for violent crimes," Mr Roberts said.
Acting Shadow Attorney General Susan Carter said these laws would also be accompanied by further investment in youth diversion programs.
"Young people who commit serious crimes should face serious consequences, but we also want to be doing all we can to ensure young people don't commit those crimes to begin with," Mrs Carter said.
"Adult Crime, Adult Time laws will form one part of a broader Liberals and Nationals youth justice package that will be based on a clear principle that we will hold serious offenders properly accountable while also doing everything reasonably possible to stop young people becoming serious offenders in the first place."
Shadow Minister for Prevention of Regional Crime Brendan Moylan said the NSW Liberals and 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.
Former NSW Deputy Police Commissioner and Liberal Candidate for Camden Mick Willing said the police must have the powers to get control of the issue.
"The face of crime has changed, we now have a situation where innocent members of the public are no longer off limits, and sentences need to represent that and community expectation around that," Mr Willing said.
