Crime down in New England but fears remain

Despite the encouraging drop in crime statistics revealed this week, locals say the statistics are cold comfort, pointing to high rates of violence compared to the rest of New South Wales and shocking recent incidents like the stabbing of a Moree motel owner.

The latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) report has revealed that crime across the New England and North West is trending downward, with major offences such as break and enters, motor vehicle theft, and robbery all showing significant declines.

Across the 12 months to June 2025, break and enter offences in the New England and North West fell sharply. Dwelling burglaries dropped from 1,639 incidents to 1,265 — a 23% reduction. Robbery also recorded a 10% decline, with incidents falling from 72 to 56, a 22 per cent drop. Motor vehicle thefts were also down from 917 to 825.

Reports of sexual assault decreased by 12%, from 494 to 434, while sexual touching and related offences slipped by 3%, from 321 to 312.

Retail theft, which has been rising statewide, bucked the trend locally, falling from 1,320 to 1,271 incidents, down nearly 4 per cent. Even malicious damage to property, one of the most persistent offences in the region, moved slightly downward from 2,420 to 2,405.

“These reductions mean that across many categories we are starting to see real progress,” said BOCSAR Executive Director Jackie Fitzgerald.

“But progress in the numbers does not necessarily mean communities will feel safer, especially where the rates remain far higher than the state average.”

Big gap with the state average

In every category of crime local rates are higher than the state average when measured as the number of incidents per 100,000 people.

The region recorded 2,039 domestic violence related assaults in the year to June 2025, up from 1,869 the year before. That represents a 9% increase, and a rate of 1,077 incidents per 100,000 population is more than twice the state average.

Stealing from motor vehicles also increased, rising from 933 incidents in 2024 to 1,012 in 2025, an 8% rise. At 535 per 100,000 population, the region’s rate is well above the NSW figure of 303.

Statewide, stealing from motor vehicles has been trending downward. Across NSW, the offence dropped by more than 11 per cent over the past two years, in stark contrast with the local 8% increase.

Even where crime is falling, the region still records per capita rates well above NSW averages. For example, despite the 23 per cent drop in break and enters to dwellings, the region’s rate remains 668 per 100,000, three times the state average of 220.

Motor vehicle thefts, at 436 per 100,000, are more than double the NSW average of 178. Malicious damage to property stands at 1,270 per 100,000, compared with 564 statewide.

Sexual assault reports, despite their fall, remain high at 229 per 100,000 — well above the state rate of 148.

“Cold comfort” for victims

Police Minister Yasmin Catley has credited police operations like Soteria, which targets repeat offenders, and diversionary programs such as Youth Action Meetings for helping to reduce youth crime.

“These statistics are showing some encouraging signs and we are rightly crediting the men and women of the NSW Police Force for the extraordinary work they are doing,” Ms Catley told Parliament.

Member for Barwon, Roy Butler, also credited the good work of police, but says youth residential diversion programs are needed to ensure continued improvement. 

“Barwon communities have become gradually safer over the last 20 years, but there is still a long way to go until residents can live free from the fear of crime,” said Mr Butler. 

“The state government has tightened bail laws, but I believe most of the credit for the recent youth crime reduction is due to police operations. 

“The community expects people to be jailed for serious crimes, but we also know that it costs $1.2 million a year to keep a young person in Juvenile Justice and more than 80% will commit more serious crimes once they’re released,” Mr Butler said.

“For lower-level crimes, magistrates should be required to send young offenders to residential diversion programs that are outside of towns on country, led by elders.” 

“These programs show young people an alternative path, with the potential to improve their own lives while also bringing down local crime rates,” he said.

Moree stabbing shocks community

Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said the latest report of decreasing crime was “cold comfort” for people living in regional communities, claiming regional residents are still being held to ransom every single day, including a motel owner in Moree who was allegedly stabbed by a 13-year-old over the weekend.

“Our police are doing the best they can but are constantly let down by Labor’s revolving door and something needs to immediately change if we are going to stop these serious repeat youth offenders from carrying out crime sprees across our cities and towns.”

Police said a group of five individuals allegedly forced entry into a room at a motel on Alice Street just before 1am on Sunday, where they were confronted by a 52-year-old man. An altercation followed, during which the man was stabbed in the torso and arm. Four of the group fled the scene before police arrived.

Police arrested and charged two 13-year-old boys over the stabbing, and they remain before the courts. Following further inquiries, detectives arrested three more teens – two aged 15 and an 11-year-old – at Tamworth Police Station. All three were charged with special aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence (wound). They were refused bail to appear before the children’s court.

Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan described the attack as ‘shocking’ and said he was in contact with the victim’s family.

“He came out of surgery well on Sunday but is still in a lot of pain and has a long road to recovery ahead,” Mr Moylan said.

“The fact the alleged offender was granted bail and allowed back into the community is a disgrace. Our communities should not have to live in fear,” Mr Moylan said.

The Nationals are calling for further restrictions on bail and for more young offenders to be locked up, despite crime rates being significantly reduced.

“When an alleged offender is back on the streets on bail before their victim is even released from hospital, there’s something very wrong with the system, and shows the laws we have in place are clearly not working,” Mr Saunders said.

In a move often deployed by NSW Nationals, preying on the fact that most people are not familiar with parliamentary procedure, they claimed they had put forward a bill for further reforms to bail to address youth crime, and then accused Labor of playing politics by opposing it. The National Party cannot put forward legislation, only the Government can, or individual members. This political stunt, claimed by Saunders to be by The Nationals and about regional youth crime, was actually a private members bill put forward by the Liberal Party Member for Wahroonga Alister Henskins. And, similar to Barnaby Joyce’s private member bill on Net Zero, was always doomed to fail.

Tamworth inquiry to hear community voices

The crime debate comes to Tamworth next week, with NSW Parliament’s Committee on Law and Safety will hold a public hearing on Monday, 22 September, at the Tamworth Community Event Centre. The inquiry, established to examine causes of youth crime, recidivism, and diversionary programs, will hear directly from police, community organisations, PCYCs, legal services, and residents.

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said he had lobbied hard for the hearing to come to Tamworth.

“This is an opportunity to tell our story and update the committee on the serious crime that has been impacting our communities,” he said.

“I’ll continue to push the government for more boots on the ground to support our local police, tougher laws and harsher penalties for offenders, changes to the Bail Act, more resources for police like the police air wing to be based in Tamworth, and a stronger focus on community safety.”

The hearing will be broadcast live on the NSW Parliament website, giving the wider region the chance to see their concerns put before the committee.

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