The NSW Government has announced drastic changes to the state’s bail laws following the alleged murder of Molly Ticehurst last month.
The main change focuses on the reversal of the presumption of bail for those accused of being serious domestic violence offenders.
They will now be subject to a “show-cause” test, having to prove that they can be safely let out into the community.
Magistrates and registrars must also take the safety of the victim into account when granting bail to serious domestic violence offenders under the new reforms, as well as previous dangerous behaviour like animal abuse and stalking.
Premier Chris Minns said the reform focused on alleged offenders who posed the most risk to the community. 
“Those people are at the serious end and (have) the highest risk of continued domestic violence assaults in our community,” Minns said.
“We believe (the laws) balance the rights of an individual’s presumption of innocence as well the right of a victim survivor to be safe from harassment, intimidation or further assault at the hands of a previous intimate partner.”
Criminalised behaviours subject to the “show-cause” test now include strangulation, sexual assault, stalking, and tracking.
The reform means more people are expected to be remanded in custody, Premier Chris Minns said.
The state government will also expand its ankle monitoring capabilities, with all serious offenders released on bail to be subject to electronic monitoring.
However, Minns said the establishment of that infrastructure would take time to set up. 
“The Infrastructure, the capital, or the regime/practice doesn’t exist in this state for bailees in the community to be monitored by the NSW Government, we have to invent and create that particular regime in the state,” he said.
“That’s going to take some time.”
Another key part of the reform will mean registrars in regional and weekend courts will no longer be allowed to make decisions on bail for serious alleged violent offenders.
Instead, the offenders will need to video conference with a magistrate in Sydney, another change that will take time, Minns said, as many regional and remote courtrooms were built a century ago and lack video streaming capabilities.
Attorney General Michael Daley said the reforms were made after significant consultation with domestic violence experts, the legal community and the Ministers for Women and Prevention of Domestic Violence.
“The bail act is all about balance and these measures that we are bringing to the parliament, we say, strike that balance,” Daley said.
“In addition to adding serious domestic violence offences to show cause, we are also adding the new offence of coercive control.
“One of the things the sector really asked us to do, was to not simply look at the most serious top-end crimes, but also some of that other behaviour that can be a precursor to domestic violence homicide.” ‘
Shadow Attorney General Alister Henskens said the opposition supports the reforms proposed today.
“The Opposition welcomes the government’s announcement today to adopt our 3-point bail plan announced two weeks ago with some additions,” Henskens said.
“We will support the Government to act quickly to ensure its legislation is introduced immediately and we look forward to seeing its legislation as soon as possible.”
The NSW Government also launched its coercive control awareness campaign earlier this month.
The reforms come as mother Molly Ticehurst was allegedly murdered by her ex-partner Daniel Billings in regional NSW, who was on bail at the time.
