The bill passed the NSW lower house on Wednesday, March 20, with amendments, and will now be debated in the Legislative Council (upper house)

The Bail and Crimes Amendment Bill 2024, is an act to amend the Bail Act 2013 to provide for a temporary limitation on granting bail for certain young persons in relation to certain serious offences; to amend the Crimes Act 1900 to provide for a new offence in relation to performance crimes; and to make consequential amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act 1986.

It represents the tranche of the $26.2 million law and order package recently announced by NSW Premier Chris Minns, including $13.4 million for Moree.

Northern Tablelands MP, Adam Marshall said said he was proud to support bill using his contribution during the debate to urge his parliamentary colleagues to leave 'partisan politics' at the door when approaching the issue of spiralling youth crime.

"I was initially reluctant to speak on this bill, not because I don't support it, but because of the politicking that inevitably happens along the way," he said.

"This targeted legislation toughens bail laws for young offenders, making it harder for repeat offenders to continue to be bailed by the local court for the two most prevalent serious indictable offences.

"This issue of offenders continually being bailed by the courts is a massive frustration for local police, victims of crime and the general community and statically is driving the vast majority of criminal activity in the region."

Mr Marshall said he commended the Premier for acting swiftly to bring about "critical changes" and listening to feedback from the Moree community, Mr Marshall and Moree mayor Mark Johnson, following his February 22 visit to Moree.

"The bill is part of a whole-of-government response that looks at early intervention, at support programs, at better co-ordinating services and a new youth bail facility - which we've never seen before in the bush," he said.

"The bail facility will be a halfway house between releasing young offenders back onto the streets, where they statistically reoffend, or sending them to a detention facility, providing them with much needed support in the interim and keeping them off the streets and from the possibility of committing more crime.

"The 'post and boast' provisions within the bill are also excellent which will target young offenders who hijack social media to gloat about their criminal activity."

Mr Marshall said the government moved quickly to draft and introduce the legislation, which was comprehensive and nuanced, listening directly to community feedback.

"Unless you make a change, nothing is going to change and we are going to make this an absolute winner for our community and hopefully the rest of regional NSW," he said.

"I have sat down and spoken with victims of crime, perpetrators of crime, parents of perpetrators of crime, and those who feel like prisoners in their own homes, and I have no doubt they will be pleased with the government's response.

"I acknowledge the many views on this issue, and I respect those who believe this package goes too far, those who argue on the other side that it doesn't go far enough."

Mr Marshall said the package was not the cure-all and it wasn't designed to be, adding that it has to be tested somewhere before it could be more widely rolled out.

"As the local member, I can only support the bill and I can only be appreciative for the government bringing it forward," he said.

"Our community is proud, but is not too proud to say, 'we have a problem, a bloody big problem, and we need help.'

"I am prepared, the mayor is prepared and the community is prepared to work with anyone, regardless of political stripe, who is determined to partner with us to fix the problem.

"For the people I represent, it is a huge opportunity that they cannot miss out on.

"As I have said many times, it is too important an issue to end in failure, so we will make it work."