The NSW Government’s latest budget announcement reveals what we’ve seen time and time again: a tired and harmful commitment to expanding the carceral state.
‘This so-called “justice system package” pours over $500 million into courts, cops and cages—a move that will only deepen harm, not address it,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘The Premier proudly noted that 1,000 more people are now in prison since his government took office. That is not a success. It is a clear sign that the government’s approach is causing more harm, not delivering safety,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
The adult prison population is now at its highest point in five years—driven largely by a sharp rise in the number of people held on remand. These are people who have not been convicted yet are punished in advance.
‘This is not a public safety strategy. It’s a public punishment agenda,’ said Debbie Kilroy. ‘This budget treats the growing prison population as justification for more prisons, instead of asking the real question: why are so many people being criminalised and warehoused instead of being supported in their communities?’ said Debbie Kilroy.
Among the breakdown of the half-billion-dollar justice spending:
- $100.5 million for prisons
- $49 million for more prosecutors
- $34.5 million to upgrade courts.
- A further $272.7 million to respond to domestic, family, and sexual violence—yet still through systems that default to carceral responses.
‘The investment in responses to domestic, family, and sexual violence must be acknowledged. But it must also be challenged. Real safety does not come from remote courtrooms and tougher bail laws—it comes from resourced, community-led supports that prevent harm before it occurs and address the root causes of violence: poverty, housing insecurity, racism, and gender-based inequality,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘While the government boasts about increased victim support services, it is simultaneously expanding a prison system that tears families apart, disproportionately targets Aboriginal people, and entrenches cycles of trauma and violence,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘We cannot build safety by building more courtrooms. We cannot protect women and children by putting more people on remand. We cannot prevent violence by pouring money into systems that rely on punishment, not healing,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘We are sick and tired of these tired, used-up policies that do nothing but fund more prison beds, more prosecutors, and more police. This is not innovation—it’s stagnation dressed up as safety. Governments need to stop recycling punishment and start investing in real, community-led solutions that we can all get behind,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘If this government was serious about ending violence, it would invest in housing, in Aboriginal-led healing programs, in health and education—not in locking more people up,’ said Debbie Kilroy. ‘Safety doesn’t begin in a courtroom. It begins in community,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘It’s time to stop repackaging carceral expansion as “safety.” The National Network demand a radical redirection of public funds away from punishment and toward prevention, support and justice led by communities—not courts,’ said Debbie Kikroy.
For further comment, please contact Debbie Kilroy on 0419 762 474 or Tabitha Lean on 0499 780 226.
