A basic role of government is to ensure citizens feel safe and free from the risk of danger, injury or loss. In NSW there are many organisations that help keep people safe including our Police Force, Fire Brigade, Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Service and Surf Life Savers.

Crime represents a serious threat to the safety of citizens, and imposes a social and economic cost on the community.

Since 1996 crimes such as assault, sexual assault and damage to property have increased significantly.

Selected NSW Crime Rates

One reason for increased crime is the failure to properly resource rehabilitation programs and put a halt to the ‘revolving door’ of the justice system. It is estimated that 47 per cent of NSW prisoners return to some form of corrective services within two years of being released.45 In the past decade the recidivism rate has increased by almost 25 per cent.

Recidivism is particularly a problem amongst juvenile offenders, with one in two young offenders re-offending within two years, compared to one in three adults.

A NSW Auditor-General’s report found further inadequacies with the provision of rehabilitation programs. For example the demand for intensive violence and sex-offender programs exceeds available places, and while prisoners with sentences of six months or less account for more than half of the prisoners released each year, there are no offence-based programs for them to participate in.

Crime has also risen as a result of the break down of community based policing under Labor. There is a clear lack of ‘cops on the beat’ who work in close collaboration with the community. This has particularly led to the rise of anti-social behaviors.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals are also committed to aligning the court system with community expectations.

Currently many in the community feel disenfranchised from the court system. Surveys indicate two thirds of the community feel sentences imposed on convicted offenders are either ‘a little too lenient’ or ‘much too lenient’.  Only one third of the community were ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ confident that the NSW criminal justice system met the needs of victims.

Making NSW a safer place is also about a better approach to risk management. Avoidance or prevention of risk is the most efficient and effective strategy.

An example of necessary risk management is bushfire hazard reduction. In 2007/08 Labor abandoned almost half of planned burn-offs. As a result, parts of the Blue Mountains and other regions have now been identified as dangerous.   Local fire fighters estimate in a number of areas fuel loads are up to 40 tonnes per hectare, which is well above the minimum recommended level of 10-15 tonnes per hectare.

During disasters the community turn to organisations such as the Fire Brigade, Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service. In return for their efforts the NSW Liberals & Nationals believe such organisations are entitled to proper resourcing and a stronger, local voice in decision-making.