NSW bail review a 'distraction' from vital action on violence against women

Premier Chris Minns on Wednesday announced a review of the state's bail laws, which he said would consider whether a person charged with a serious domestic violence offence should be released on bail.

It was sparked by the death of Forbes woman Molly Ticehurst, 28, who was allegedly murdered by her former partner two weeks after he was granted bail on charges of raping, stalking and intimidating her, as well as committing animal cruelty against her dog.

The decision of the registrar to release the accused man, Daniel Billings, will also come under the microscope.

Sally Stevenson, executive director of the Illawarra Women's Health Centre, expressed frustration, disappointment and anger about the "inadequacy" of the government's response.

"In general it's a knee-jerk reaction to a deep and broad cultural and systemic issue that requires some really serious, bold, strategic changes to... policy, legislation and funding," Ms Stevenson said.

Ms Stevenson said bail law reform was necessary, but it had to be considered in the context of the "epidemic of violence" accompanied by stronger political leadership and commitment.

Investment was needed in the four key areas of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children, she said: primary prevention, early intervention, crisis response, and recovery and healing.

Ms Stevenson said NSW spent about half of what Victoria did on domestic, family and sexual violence.

Increased funding in trauma-informed training in the criminal and judicial system was also needed, she said, as well as across education, health and other domains where the government could drive policy.

Ms Stevenson said a better understanding of perpetration and what perpetrators looked like was also important, as was housing for victim-survivors.

"We need a holistic approach that recognises the deep cultural change that's required," she said.

Regarding the review, Ms Stevenson questioned what assurance could be made that it was not simply an attempt to placate when the monitoring group - which Mr Minns said would look at the "operational" aspects of the law - made no recommendations regarding bail laws in relation to sexual and domestic violence offences in a 2022 review.

"Another review seems disingenuous and a distraction," she said.

"What the government needs to do is listen to all the recommendations that have already been made and start to implement them in a cohesive, comprehensive way with adequate funding."

However, Ms Stevenson did support the call from advocate Rosie Batty for a royal commission in NSW, similar to that held in Victoria, which led to $3.7 billion reform out of 227 recommendations.

While acknowledging it was another form of review, Ms Stevenson said a royal commission would establish a framework against which the NSW government could be held to account.

She was hopeful the government would respond to the recommendations of a royal commission.

"I would be absolutely confident that the royal commission would deliver recommendations that would improve our situation," Ms Stevenson said.

Ms Ticehurst is one of at least 28 women in Australia this year who have lost their lives to alleged violence: a rate of one death almost every four days.

Almost all the alleged killers are men.

Among the other victims is Wollongong-raised Jade Young, who was stabbed to death in the Bondi Junction attack.