Many hands make light work to improve habitat on National Tree Day

City of Newcastle has celebrated National Tree Day by joining forces with residents to plant 7000 native wetland species at Tarro Reserve today.

Volunteers dug deep to add a range of grasses, shrubs, and trees to an area of around 1400 square metres, helping to improve the health of the wetland and restore habitat for local fauna.

Cr Deahnna Richardson and Cr Elizabeth Adamczyk with City of Newcastle staff and local community members at the National Tree Day planting at Tarro Reserve today.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said City of Newcastle has targeted areas in the western suburbs that experience hotter temperatures in summer for urban forest planting.

“As part of City of Newcastle’s 10-year Environment Strategy we’re aiming for 40 per cent canopy cover by 2045 to help cool our city,” Cr Nelmes said.

“That’s why we planted more than 550 new street trees in Beresfield and Tarro in the past year, and also celebrated World Environment Day last month by planting 18 trees and 100 small native plants with students from Beresfield Public School.”

Councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk said connecting with local residents to plant trees and learn about nature is a special way to mark the national event.

“Today’s event has many benefits including adding to Newcastle’s biodiversity and vegetation cover, reducing urban heat, and beautifying a much-loved public space,” Cr Adamczyk said.

“City of Newcastle celebrates National Tree Day at a different location in Newcastle every year, with local schools, community and City of Newcastle staff in 2024 again pitching in to plant thousands of trees to improve our city’s environmental health.

Tarro Reserve is a valued community asset, with sports grounds, an off-leash dog area and recreation space for fishing and birdwatching, making it the ideal choice for our planting efforts to celebrate National Tree Day this year.”

It wasn’t all hard work in Tarro today, with other activities on offer including wetland tours, waterbug dip-netting and nature-based play, as well as an interactive stall with City of Newcastle’s invasive species team and bush craft with Nuts About Nature.

National Tree Day is just one of many occasions where City of Newcastle staff have pulled on their gardening gloves with the community to help protect and enhance our natural environment this year.

During the past 12 months, Landcare volunteers, community members and City of Newcastle projects saw more than 125,000 native plants added to our city along our coast, creeklines, beside wetlands and in bushland.

City of Newcastle’s Natural Connections and community urban forest programs aim to connect residents and students with their local natural areas, including urban forests, wetlands and watercourses.

Involving the community can help locals become stewards of their environment, as well as enhance physical and mental wellbeing.

New NCAT Deputy President and Division Head appointed

Experienced Tribunal Member and solicitor Theresa Simon has been appointed as the new Deputy President and Head of the Consumer and Commercial Division of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).

With more than 20 years working in the legal sector, including the past decade at NCAT, Ms Simon is committed to helping clients resolve a range of disputes, including residential tenancy, consumer, home building and strata disputes.

Ms Simon is currently a Principal Member of NCAT and has dealt with many complex and significant legal cases, including high profile matters. In recent years, she has also been actively involved with the Council of Australasian Tribunals and chaired the organising committee for the 2023 national conference.

Completing a Bachelor of Arts/Diploma of Education in 2000, Ms Simon started her career as a high school teacher in Western Sydney and later lectured at Western Sydney University after finishing a law degree. In 2011 she worked with Legal Aid NSW as a registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner assisting parties from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Prior to joining NCAT in 2014, Ms Simon was a full-time member of the NSW Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal and was also a legal practitioner in Western Sydney for almost 10 years. She established the NSW Home Building Advocacy Service which assisted consumers with home building disputes at Macquarie Legal Centre.

Ms Simon will start in her new role on 9 September 2024.

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“I am confident Theresa Simon’s experience brings strong leadership for NCAT’s Consumer and Commercial Division (CCD).

“The CCD is one of NCAT’s busiest functions and Ms Simon’s dedication to fairness and expertise in dispute resolution will continue to be invaluable to the division and everyone who interacts with it.

“I would like to thank Mark Harrowell for his outstanding service in the role over the past five years.”

New chair for Board of State Insurance Regulatory Authority

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib today announced the appointment of Nicholas Whitlam as the next Chair of the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA).

Mr Whitlam brings extensive experience across the insurance and finance sectors to the state authority responsible for regulating motor accident compulsory third party (CTP) insurance, workers compensation insurance and the home building compensation scheme in NSW.

Mr Whitlam was the inaugural chair of the Port Authority of NSW until 2018, after holding the chair positions for the ports of Sydney, Newcastle and Port Kembla prior to their amalgamation. He also served as chair of the Lifetime Care and Support Authority and was on the boards of WorkCover NSW and the WorkCover Insurance Investment Fund.

Mr Whitlam was chief executive and managing director of the State Bank of NSW and is a former president of the NRMA. Mr Whitlam replaces outgoing chair Mr Trevor Matthews.

Minister Dib has also appointed Helen Rowell to the SIRA Board. Ms Rowell was the deputy chair of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) for 10 years until June 2023.

She has been a member of the executive committee of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors, president and vice president of the Council of the Actuaries Institute of Australia, and member and chair of committees of the International Actuarial Association from 2001 to 2007.

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:

“I would like to congratulate Mr Whitlam and Ms Rowell on their appointments, and I look forward to their experience helping guide NSW insurance schemes to better serve our communities.”

Chair of SIRA Board Nicholas Whitlam said:

“Compulsory insurance, notably CTP and workers compensation, is now a part of everyday life. I look forward to participating in the supervision of these key protections of a civilised society.”

Director on SIRA Board Helen Rowell said:

“SIRA plays a very important role for the NSW community in relation to workers compensation, motor accident and home building insurance. So, I am delighted to be joining the board of SIRA and look forward to working with the Chair and the other directors to continue to promote the highest standards of governance and oversight for SIRA’s operations.”

Chief Executive of SIRA Mandy Young said:

“Adding Mr Whitlam and Ms Rowell’s extensive experience to the Board will bolster SIRA’s capability as a modern, person-centric and data-driven regulator.”

Portable bonds scheme to deliver cost of living relief

Millions of renters across the state will soon be able to move homes and transfer their bond with them with the Minns Labor Government investing $6.6 million to develop and deliver the nation’s first Portable Rental Bonds Scheme.

There is a turnover of more than 330,000 tenancies every year across the state, with the average tenancy 1.6 years.

As residents juggle high rents, low vacancy rates and general cost-of-living pressures, they’re also faced with an average moving cost of $4,000 and the prospect of having to pay a new bond before their old one is returned.

The Portable Rental Bonds Scheme will be a financial relief measure which makes it easier for renters when moving by allowing eligible tenants to digitally transfer their existing bond to their new rental home.

This new scheme maintains the integrity of the bond system ensuring homeowners have security while improving cashflow and reducing financial stress for renters.

The Rental Commissioner is leading the development of the Scheme which is currently out to public tender.

Development will involve an upgrade of the existing rental bonds system and work is expected to be completed in 2025.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“Moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do, not to mention expensive for many renters.”

“The process can leave renters out of pocket, for up to several weeks.

“The NSW Government’s portable bonds scheme will give cost of living relief to renters moving homes, by making sure they don’t have to set aside extra money while they wait for their bond to be refunded.”

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“This scheme will be the first of its kind in the nation.

“Once in place, renters won’t have to think twice about how they’ll pay their bond on top of moving costs.

“The NSW Government is committed to working towards a fairer rental marketplace. This Scheme is a win for renters and owners.”

Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Minister for Youth Rose Jackson said:

“Amid a housing and cost of living crisis we must explore every option to alleviate the financial pressure renters face when moving house.

“The harsh reality is that the high cost of moving, especially having to pay a new bond before the old one is refunded, can push people to the brink of homelessness.

“The portable bonds scheme is an important and practical way to help ease this pressure renters feel.”

Community urged to consider organ donation this DonateLife Week

People in NSW are encouraged to consider organ donation and have conversations with their family about their decision this DonateLife Week.

There are approximately 1,800 people currently on the organ transplant waitlist in Australia, with 14,000 more on dialysis for kidney failure who need help.

In 2023, more than 47,000 people in NSW registered as an organ and tissue donor. There were 142 people in NSW who died and became organ donors, giving the gift of life to 392 transplant recipients, including 12-year-old Osman Akel.

Osman was diagnosed with congenital heart disease while in utero and needed three heart operations before he was five. Last year, Osman went into heart failure and his family were told he needed a heart transplant to save his life.

Osman became the first patient to undergo a paediatric heart transplant at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead since the Paediatric Heart Transplant (PHT) service was officially established and funded by the Minns Labor Government in 2023. Osman is now back at school and doing well.

Five-year-old Ari Ladd’s life was also saved by organ donation after receiving a lifesaving liver transplant at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in 2020. Ari was born with biliary atresia, a condition that impacts the body’s ability to drain the bile from the liver. The energetic toddler is now happy and healthy, enjoying his new lease on life

As the biggest paediatric liver transplant centre in Australia, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead performs around 25 lifesaving liver transplants for patients like Ari every year.

Sadly, more than 50 Australians died last year while on the organ transplant waitlist.

Families are always asked to support someone’s decision to be a donor before donation goes ahead. Families are much more likely to agree if their loved one is registered on the Australian Organ Donor Register, and their family knew they wanted to be a donor.

Anyone aged 16 and over can register online to become an organ donor in just one minute at donatelife.gov.au, or with three taps in the Medicare app. For those who think they’re already registered, it only takes one minute to double-check.

NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“Organ donation saves lives and increasing awareness and consent is critical to lifting our donation rate. We encourage NSW residents to go online and pledge to give the gift of life to those in need.

“Opportunities for transplants are missed because families are uncertain of their loved one’s wish to be a donor. It is important for people in NSW to not only register, but to tell their families they want to be a donor.

“We know 4 in 5 Australians say they support donation but only 36 per cent are registered. It only takes one minute to register and give more people like Osman and Ari the gift of life.”

Elena Cavazzoni, DonateLife NSW Co-State Medical Director:

“Our dedicated organ donation teams across NSW work tirelessly to maximise every opportunity to save a life through transplant. But there simply aren’t enough donors in NSW to match the waitlist.

“This DonateLife Week, I’m urging everyone in NSW to please register as an organ and tissue donor.”

Dr Joanne Ging, Director of Clinical Operations at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN):

“We are proud to celebrate the first anniversary of our Paediatric Heart Transplant service and to welcome our new cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Johann Brink, to the service. Across Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, we are now able to perform liver, kidney and heart transplants for some of the sickest children in the state.

“Organ donation is critical in allowing our teams to perform these lifesaving transplants. We simply wouldn’t be able to offer these services if it weren’t for the generosity of the community and their loved ones at such a tragic time in their lives.

“For Osman and Ari, their transplant has given them a new lease on life, and that is an incredible thing to see.”

Member for Parramatta, Donna Davis:

“Today is a powerful reminder about the importance of signing up to be an organ donor and I’m honoured to meet with some of the families whose lives have been changed by organ donation.

“For someone who is seriously ill, an organ or tissue transplant can mean the difference between life and death, being healthy or sick, seeing or being blind.

“One organ donor can save the lives of up to 7 people and help many more through eye and tissue donation.”

Funding boost helps reduce barriers to cancer care for multicultural communities

The NSW Government is supporting not-for-profit organisation Pink Sari Inc. to deliver much needed support to people from South Asian communities impacted by cancer through a new pilot program.

The CanInfo and Care project, supported by a $42,100 grant from the Government, aims to ease the personal burden on people with cancer. It does this by providing individuals with access to culturally sensitive information sessions, as a safe space to voice their needs specifically associated with their South Asian origin, religious and cultural beliefs.

Through these sessions, cancer patients are also directed to existing resources and services that best meet their needs, such as counselling, transport, dietary and financial assistance.

This valuable support is provided by volunteers from diverse backgrounds who have a unique understanding of cultural context and can help bridge the gap between the health care system and people from South Asian communities.

In the past 12 months, CanInfo and Care has already assisted around 70 people from South Asian communities on various aspects of their cancer journey.

The CanInfo and Care project is being delivered in partnership with Western and South Western Sydney Local Health Districts as part of Cancer Institute NSW’s multicultural grant program. The project builds on Pink Sari’s strong history of supporting multicultural communities to engage in cancer screening.

To further improve cancer outcomes in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, the Cancer Institute NSW has now awarded more than $500,000 to deliver 20 cancer control programs in areas such as Liverpool, Far West NSW, the Illawarra and Newcastle.

Multicultural communities face significant barriers accessing cancer screening services and care, often due to language barriers, poor health literacy, trauma, and cultural stigma and beliefs. These grants support local community groups and health services to roll out targeted initiatives that will help provide people with multilingual information to reduce their cancer risk, in a way that is aligned with their cultural beliefs.

To further help boost breast cancer screening rates in NSW, particularly for CALD communities and other at-risk populations in NSW, a new and improved BreastScreen NSW website has been launched.

The website has pages tailored to women from priority populations, including CALD backgrounds , with translated resources soon available in 26 languages.

Featuring an enhanced location finder and mobile first design, the new website makes it simpler for women to locate their closest BreastScreen site and book in their two-yearly breast screen from any device.

Health Minister Ryan Park
“The NSW Government is committed to improving cancer screening rates and outcomes for multicultural communities.”

“NSW is a global leader in cancer care, but we recognise unfortunately some people still face barriers and disadvantage for varied and complex reasons.”

“Together with multicultural communities and fantastic organisations like Pink Sari, we’re working to ensure all people across NSW have access to timely and culturally appropriate care and support.”

Member for Liverpool, Charishma Kaliyanda
“We need to break down barriers to screening and care that exist in multicultural and CALD communities. This is essential to deliver higher cancer screening rates and better outcomes.

“It’s great to see support channels like CanInfo and Care helping to ease the burden on cancer patients and their families.”

NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO, Cancer Institute NSW Professor Tracey O’Brien
“Reducing the inequitable cancer outcomes experienced by CALD communities can only be achieved by listening to and partnering with passionate community organisations like Pink Sari.

“Understanding and breaking down the barriers to cancer care and support is a team effort. I thank Pink Sari and the countless other community members and organisations for their exceptional work in supporting people impacted by cancer.”

Pink Sari President Shantha Viswanathan
“We can’t underestimate the power that relevant and supportive information can have in making a consumer’s cancer journey less stressful and confusing.”

“Often the information provided to patients relies on the health literacy of individuals and this can be quite challenging for those with language difficulties, so a support channel like CanInfo and Care is vital in helping to bridge this gap.”

consumer advocate Madhavi Nair
“Support services like CanInfo and Care ensure that individuals receive not only medical care but also the emotional, linguistic, and practical support necessary to navigate the healthcare system effectively.”

“By providing tailored resources and a supportive network, these programs help reduce the isolation and stress often experienced by those undergoing treatment in a foreign country, thereby improving their overall wellbeing and treatment outcomes.”

New agreements deliver $296 million of road repair funding in just three months

More than $296 million in fast tracked new funding has flowed to regional NSW councils to repair roads and transport infrastructure damaged during natural disasters in just three months.

The money flowed between April and June after the NSW Labor Government announced the delivery of a series of new pilot funding agreements between councils, the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Transport for NSW.

Before the introduction of Tripartite Agreements, Councils had to spend their own money repairing infrastructure before they could reimbursed with the disaster funding which has come from the Australian and NSW Governments through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

In March eight councils signed up to the NSW Government’s new disaster funding Tripartite Agreement pilot, enabling them to access advance funding at the beginning of each stage of reconstruction works.

The Tripartite Agreements mean less financial pressure on councils, faster repairs for communities after natural disasters and better collaboration between state and local government agencies.

Following the success of the initial pilot Tripartite Agreements, the NSW Government signed up more councils to help them unlock faster funding.

Under tranche two of the program, eight councils have already signed up and three more councils are in the process of signing up.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“When a region is hit by a natural disaster, the last thing councils need to worry about is coming up with the cash to restore essential road and transport infrastructure.

“The new pilot agreement the NSW Government has struck with councils will now help more councils get on with the job faster, knowing they have the funds they will so desperately need.”

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“The Tripartite Agreements are a great example of government working with communities to develop new solutions that improve disaster response.

“We are committed to building on the success of these agreements and rolling out more support to help communities rebuild faster after disasters.”

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“Prior to the 2022 natural disasters, state budgets only allocated around $190 million per year for disaster recovery for roads. It is fantastic that the Minns Labor Government has rolled out more than $296 million in just three months. With our record-breaking investment in this year’s budget of $3.3 billion for natural disaster road recovery, faster support is on the way for flood affected councils.

“The Minns Labor Government’s new approach to disaster relief funding has been created to quickly support people in impacted communities by getting the money flowing quicker, and the road repairs delivered as fast as possible.”

Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery and Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said:

“The Tripartite Agreement pilot is a major advance in disaster recovery, and importantly, it paves the way to better procedural preparedness.

“It’s a first in that local councils get money upfront and don’t have to wait months or years for funding. It also means that all parties signed up to the agreements clearly understand and adhere to an assessment and acquittals process.

“I’ve received extremely positive feedback from Lismore City, Kyogle, Tweed Shire and Byron Shire councils who are already taking full advantage of the new arrangements, and now Tenterfield Shire Council is one of 11 councils coming onboard in tranche two.

“As Parliamentary Secretary I interact closely with most of these councils so I know what a difference it is making and will continue to make. I commend the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Transport for NSW for leading this new way of rebuilding roads and transport infrastructure.”

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said:

“The Albanese Government welcomes the efforts of the NSW Minns Government to streamline support and get disaster funding to where it’s really needed.

“The last Higher Risk Weather Season saw 190 Local Government Areas nationally impacted – many in NSW and many more than once. We understand that intense, compounding natural disaster events can be a challenge for Councils, and can lead to financial strain.

“All levels of Government are working in lockstep to get disaster recovery funding where it needs to go. That’s why last year the Albanese Government provided nearly $900 million in advance disaster recovery payments to the NSW Government, to help fast track payments to councils following multiple, devastating events.

“It’s great to see various levels of government working together to find solutions that puts communities first.”

Tranche one councils (all finalised)	Tranche two councils (all finalised)
Ballina Shire Council	Blue Mountains City Council
Byron Shire Council	Cabonne Shire Council
Clarence Valley Council	Weddin Shire Council
Kyogle Council	Forbes Shire Council
Lismore City Council	Lachlan Shire Council
Lithgow City Council	Parkes Shire Council
Richmond Valley Council	Shoalhaven City Council
Tweed Shire Council	Tenterfield Shire Council

Newcastle Rail Lift Outages

Morisset Station Lift 1 between the footbridge and Platform 1 or Macquarie St is not available

Last updated: 10:53am Tue 30 Jul Refresh

Incident activity

Ongoing – Until further notice

Details

At Morisset Station Lift 1 between the footbridge and Platform 1 or Macquarie St is temporarily out of service. If you need help, ask staff or phone 02 4349 9241.

Newcastle Interchange Lift 2 between the footbridge and Station St is not available

Last updated: 10:54am Tue 30 Jul Refresh

Incident activity

Ongoing – Until further notice

Details

At Newcastle Interchange Lift 2 between the footbridge and Station St is temporarily out of service. If you need help, ask staff or phone 02 4962 9101.

Investigations continue into the disappearance of two men missing after 1983 boat accident off Newcastle – Missing Persons Week 2024

Detectives have identified and obtained DNA from family members of two men missing for over 40 years after a boat capsized of Newcastle.

In 2023, NSW Police received a submission from the National DNA program, from a 48-year-old woman requesting to submit her DNA.

Inquiries conducted by detectives attached to the Missing Persons registry believe that the woman was the daughter of one of two men who went missing during a boat accident off Newcastle in 1983.

At the time, Newcastle Police investigated the accident with both air and sea searches; however, the men – aged 37 and 27 – were not located, and the matter was referred to the Coroner.

Upon obtaining and reviewing the Coronial brief, it was revealed the two men – both Vietnamese nationals living in Sydney with their families – boarded the vessel ‘Wyuna’ on Sunday 10 April 1983, to go deep sea fishing. The two men were the only people on board at the time.

The ‘Wyuna’ left via Newcastle Heads and headed out to sea off the Swansea Coast. During the evening, the vessel capsized and both men were never found.

The Coronial brief named the second man; however, no other identifying details were available.

Detectives spent months searching the police database and in May 2024 identified a likely family member of the second man, who has since provided a familial DNA sample.

The two men have now been added to the NSW Missing Persons database and the familial DNA of both relatives has been added to the DNA database in the hope of one day locating and identifying their remains.

Detective Inspector Ritchie Sim, Manager of the Missing Persons Registry, said all missing people deserve to be found and returned to their family.

“Our detectives don’t give up when searching for missing people. We are always searching with the goal of reuniting families, providing them answers where possible, and helping them through the grieving process.

“For us it doesn’t matter if a person went missing over 40 years ago or last week; they are still a person and deserve to be returned to their family.” Det Insp Sim said.

“The role of familial DNA in this case can’t be understated as it may be the key to finally putting another 40-year-old case to rest both for the families affected but also for the detectives that have stuck with it over the years.”

“Missing person investigations are not criminal matters, and your DNA is not stored in any criminal or suspect data base. Your DNA will only be used to hopefully solve these cases and provide answers to your family.

“If you have reported a family member missing to police, and you have the Event number, I urge you to go to your local police station and provide your DNA if you haven’t done so already. Your relationship with the missing person can be several generations apart.” Det Insp Sim said.

“If you don’t have an Event reference number, you can still help. You can provide your DNA to commercial databases such as Gedmatch and Familytree DNA. As long as you tick the option to release your DNA for law enforcement purposes, we can use your DNA and hopefully solve a mystery.”

“Your relative may have already been found, we just don’t know as yet, as we haven’t been able to identify them until now. This technology and capability now gives us the best opportunity yet, to achieve this.” Det Insp Sim said.

Missing Persons Week is an annual national campaign to raise awareness of the issues and impacts surrounding missing persons and runs between Monday Sunday 28 July and Saturday 3 August 2024.

This year’s ‘Always Searching’ campaign focuses on the continuing efforts of police to solve missing persons investigations.

If you have been reported as missing it means that someone is concerned about your safety and welfare. It is not a crime to go missing. You should attend the nearest police station with identification so that Police can ascertain that you are safe and well.

For more information on the campaign visit www.missingpersons.gov.au

As inquiries continue, police are appealing for anyone with information that may assist investigators to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

Victorian woman jailed following Australia’s first forced marriage conviction

A Shepparton woman was sentenced today (29 July, 2024) to three years imprisonment for orchestrating the forced marriage of her 20-year-old daughter, who later became the victim of a homicide in Western Australia.

This sentence marks the first successful conviction and sentencing for forced marriage in Australian history.

The investigation began in 2019 when specialist AFP Human Trafficking Team detectives met with the victim, who alleged members of her family were threatening and coercing her into participating in a forced marriage.

She was offered police intervention, protection, and emergency safety planning. For wellbeing support, including alternative accommodation, she was referred to the Red Cross Support for Trafficked People Program (STPP) on a number of occasions.

The court found the 20-year-old woman was eventually coerced into marrying a West Australian man in a ceremony held in Shepparton, Victoria, in August, 2019.

The AFP alleged the woman did not freely consent to this marriage, after which she travelled to Western Australia to live with her new husband.

In January 2020, the Western Australian Police Force Homicide Squad confirmed the death of the victim and subsequently charged her husband, 25, -with murder. He was convicted and sentenced to a minimum 19 years’ imprisonment.

In October 2020, the AFP executed search warrants in Shepparton, Victoria in relation to the forced marriage . The AFP subsequently charged the victim’s mother with orchestrating the forced marriage, under section 270.7B (1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).

The woman, 48, appeared before Shepparton Magistrates’ Court and was subsequently bailed to reappear at a later date.

In May 2024, the woman was found guilty at trial in the Melbourne County Court of causing a person to enter a forced marriage. She was sentenced today (29 July, 2024) to three years imprisonment with 12 months to be served before being released on own recognisance.

This was the second case where an individual had been charged with this offence in Victoria.

Forced marriage is a form of human trafficking and is criminalised under the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

AFP Commander Raegan Stewart said Australia was not immune to forced marriages, with this crime type often under-reported as people were unaware they may be victims, or were scared about the impact on their family situation.

“The investigation would not have been possible without the assistance of members of the community, including many witnesses who came forward to police despite community and cultural barriers,” Commander Stewart said.

“The number of human trafficking complaints to the AFP is on the rise, with the AFP receiving 340 reports of offences – 90 being forced marriage allegations – across the 2022-23 financial year.

“It is a crime type we know is underreported and we hope this conviction highlights how seriously the AFP takes these matters, and its commitment to bringing perpetrators before the courts.” If you or someone you know is being forced to marry and you need immediate assistance, you can call 131 AFP (237) or use our online form to report information regarding human trafficking.