The devices designed to save women’s lives rolling out across NSW

Men who are granted bail after being charged with serious domestic violence offences will be subject to around-the-clock surveillance as part of a major expansion of electronic monitoring in NSW.

From today, men who are charged – but not yet convicted – over serious domestic violence crimes will be fitted with electronic monitoring bracelets with GPS technology that allows staff from NSW Corrective Services to track their location and alert police if they breach bail conditions.

NSW Premier Chris Minns.Credit: Louise Kennerley

The changes are part of a suite of reforms announced by Premier Chris Minns in May this year after public outcry over a series of high-profile domestic violence-related crimes, including the alleged murder of Forbes woman Molly Ticehurst.

They included reversing the presumption of bail to make it harder for those men accused of serious domestic violence offences to be released in the first place.

NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley said there had been “an increasing number of alleged serious domestic violence offenders on remand” since the changes, which he said showed the government’s bail reforms “are indeed working”.

Electronic monitoring devices have been used for domestic violence offenders on parole in NSW in a limited capacity since 2016. In 2022, a review by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research found they led to a reduction in re-offending.

Their rollout for those on bail for charges is a first in NSW. Minns initially expressed reservations about expanding electronic monitoring, due partly to the challenge of resourcing the scheme. But he later announced the government would set up a taskforce to look into establishing the regime which has since approved the proposal.

The changes were cautiously welcomed by domestic violence groups at the time, though many legal groups including the NSW Bar Association criticised the government for rushing through the changes.

How will the new surveillance technology work?

Alleged offenders who do receive bail will now be monitored by a team inside Corrective Services already responsible for overseeing the more than 1100 people in NSW already wearing electronic bracelets.

Based in a nondescript office in Sydney’s inner west – its location is a tightly held secret – they track alleged offenders against geographic bail conditions such as specific residential addresses, schools, offices or suburbs.

Offenders – and now alleged offenders – have their GPS location shown in real-time on a computer screen which shows a map, and any exclusion zones. In some cases officers also have access to the offender’s pre-arranged schedule.

If an alleged offender enters one of those restricted zones, police are immediately notified.

“The expansion of our existing electronic monitoring system allows us to track serious alleged domestic violence offenders,” Leon Taylor, the acting commissioner of Corrective Services, said.

“If we hold concerns for a person in need of protection, the Corrections team will be able to pick up the phone and alert them to a potential bail breach in real-time, allowing them to enact their safety plan.”

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

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