Fury over NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley’s no-show for killer reward

Startling details about the NSW Police Minister’s handling of rewards for information into cold cases, such as Rachelle Childs’, has been uncovered. Listen to the podcast.

EXCLUSIVE: Police Minister Yasmin Catley hasn’t held a press conference to announce a reward for an unsolved crime in the two years since she took office, despite an expanding vault of cold cases – including the 2001 murder of Rachelle Childs.

Rachelle, 23, was killed, dumped in bushland, and set alight in Gerroa, southern NSW, more than two decades ago but, due to a series of avoidable police blunders, no one has ever been charged over her death.

Her sister Kristy Childs told the Dear Rachelle investigation that she wrote to Ms Catley last year to ask if the reward for information on her sister’s murder could be lifted from $200,000 to $500,000, but the minister never replied.

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley hasn’t held a press conference to announce a reward for an unsolved crime in the two years since she took office. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

The NSW police minister is not able to make decisions about rewards herself, those matters are referred to a separate committee for review and approval.

But rather than explaining that to the Childs family, Ms Catley’s office forwarded Kristy’s letter to the unsolved homicide squad.

LISTEN TO EPISODES 1-3 OF THE PODCAST BELOW:

This masthead now understands Ms Catley has never fronted the media to inform the public about financial incentives for unsolved cases since she landed the job of state police minister in 2023, unlike her predecessors who often spoke during televised appeals for information.

Ms Catley has instead released written statements via the NSW Police media unit, which don’t gain as much traction as a television appearance.

Retired Detective Inspector Scott Rogan, who worked for NSW Police for 25 years and spoke to this masthead on behalf of Advocacy Australia’s victims of serious crimes committee, said ensuring the public is aware of rewards in relation to cold cases is “vitally important”.

“Rewards become important because they can prompt people to come forward, but you’ve got to let people know they’re available,” he said.

“They’re just one of the tools in the toolbox for investigations, especially when things have stalled, they can prompt people to come forward – I’ve seen cases where rewards have worked well, but it’s got to be a realistic amount.”

Retired Detective Inspector Scott Rogan was surprised NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley did not reply to Kristy Childs’ letter.

Mr Rogan said the sum had to be enough to entice a witness to potentially destroy relationships, because coming forward often means giving evidence against a friend, partner or relative.

Asked how much was reasonable, Mr Rogan referred directly to the $200,000 offered for Rachelle’s case, which hasn’t moved in 14 years. “Well, what does $200,000 get you in Sydney these days?”

Mr Rogan was also surprised that Ms Catley didn’t reply to Kristy’s letter. He said she “100 per cent” should have made contact, despite the fact that she doesn’t have the authority to raise the reward herself.

“To not reply is poor,” he said.

“In my view, for a minister of the Crown and a police minister, to not at least reply to the family of a victim of crime and acknowledge that you’ve got their letter, is poor.”

Ms Catley was contacted for comment but didn’t reply by the deadline.

In a statement last week, a spokesperson for Ms Catley said: “The Minister ensures all correspondence receives a response, either directly or through the most relevant body.”

The minister also extended her “deepest sympathies to Kristy Morris and her family”, but only through this masthead. She still has not contacted the Childs family directly.

For more information about our investigation, visit dearachelle.com.au

If you have any tips or confidential information, please contact investigative journalist Ashlea Hansen at [e-mail].

You can also join our Dear Rachelle Facebook group.

Originally published as Fury over NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley’s no-show for killer reward