A recent review of the law by former NSW Police Force Assistant Commissioner Steve Bradshaw, referred to as the Bradshaw Report, has highlighted a need for both operational and legislative improvements to stock theft, trespassing and illegal hunting. 

The new model will be molded on Queensland’s Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad in an effort to empower rural police.

NSW Police announced the changes will include a new aggravated trespass offence, reference to a victim’s geographical isolation as an aggravating factor, the ability to apply to the Local Court for a forced muster order and doubling of the maximum penalty for illegal hunting on private land from $1,100 to $2,200.

Outside shifts to the victim and perpetrator response, Rural Crime Advisory Group (RCAG) meetings last year found rural crime investigators (RCIs) only spent about 67% of their time on rural matters in 2015. 

“Some are not devoting much time at all to rural crime, whether intentionally or as a result of structural barriers,” the report read.

“At a time when rural crime is on the increase and a huge cause of community concern, the RCI positions need to be re-focused on rural crime matters and community engagement, as was originally intended.” 

In addition, the report found about 6% of recruits were drawn from the western NSW region and 30.5% of recruits are from outside Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.

Low compliance to the National Lifestock Identification System (NLIS), a database stock for biosecurity, meat safety and product, was also cited as a concern with many relying on abattoirs and saleyards to record stock movements.

The report concluded the review “tapped into a deep sense of anger and frustration” from rural communities and these crimes were committed at night, when police resources are “at their thinnest”.  

NSW Police Force Deputy Commissioner for Regional Field Operations Gary Worboys said rural theft is a very real problem and welcomed the tougher penalties.

“Right across country NSW we know that our rural communities are affected by people who want to destroy their livelihoods, enter their lands, steal and destroy property,” Mr Worboys said.

“We certainly look forward to working with the community to identify people who commit these crimes.” 

There are currently 34 dedicated RCIs in NSW, a group Mr Worboys described as experienced, committed and trusted investigators.

“Personally, it’s an opportunity to look at clustering of those resources where we come form so rural crime prevention teams have a full time investigative capacity,” he said.

“The report gives us leverage, and what we can do now is take notice of that.” 

The NSW Police is currently reviewing the service delivery for rural crime investigations which assesses timeliness and community satisfaction. 

Mr Worboys is the first Deputy Commissioner Regional NSW Field Operations, a role non existent and announced only three months ago. 

Read the final NSW Stock Theft and Trespass Review here.