MP Janelle Saffin says the Labor Government is delivering a key election commitment of 24/7 policing at the Murwillumbah Station in four phases of Budget allocations and recruitment.
Ms Saffin says she sought and received a progress report from the office of NSW Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley following the recent NSW Budget 2025-26. ‘The NSW Police Department has advised that to date 10 authorised police positions have been allocated to the Tweed/Byron Police District specifically for Murwillumbah Police Station,’ she said.
Phase 1 has been completed with three positions – a sergeant and two constables – filled or occupied. Phase 2 established a further three constable positions and recruitment is underway.
Ms Saffin said Phase 3 – a sergeant and three constables – was allocated in last month’s State Budget and will be recruited over the next year. ‘The remaining five constable positions will be activated by July 1, 2026 as part of Phase 4, bringing the total of additional authorised police positions to 15.’
Encouraging recruitment
Ms Saffin says that recruitment remains a challenge for all police commands, but the Government is supporting schemes that encourage people to become police officers, and incentives to retain them.
This includes: an historic pay rise – the biggest in memory – for NSW Police officers; paying recruits to study at the academy in Goulburn, which has seen a 70 per cent increase in the number of applications since it was introduced; the ‘Be a Cop in Your Hometown’ program, which encourages residents of Murwillumbah and surrounding areas to consider a career in police. This initiative allows recruits to train and return to serve in their local community, helping address vacancies while strengthening ties with the area.
Two new schemes
Another new scheme is the Professional Mobility Program, encouraging officers up to senior constable level from other Australian jurisdictions and New Zealand can come to NSW at their existing rank.
There has also been the creation of an Health Safety and Wellbeing Command to ensure that staff who are injured on the job are supported in care and getting back to work when they’re better.
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