The record-high number of alleged domestic violence offenders being held in custody in NSW will increase, while some of those who manage to get bail will be tracked under a major legal overhaul.
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The revamp of how the state deals with accused perpetrators will make it harder for those charged with serious offences to get bail, reversing the onus of proof and requiring them to show magistrates and judges why they should be released.
Some of those overseeing their cases will be hundreds of kilometres away as bail verdicts will be determined by magistrates via video-links rather than left in the hands of country court registrars.
Those who do get bail while facing serious domestic violence allegations will be electronically monitored, once NSW officials work out how to roll out the measures.
Premier Chris Minns expects the changes announced on Tuesday will mean more accused offenders will be held on remand, but the smaller cohort who are bailed will be subject to electronic monitoring.
But he was unable to provide a timeframe for the program's implementation.
The opposition had pushed for a wider-scale electronic monitoring program, which leader Mark Speakman - who was attorney-general under the former coalition government - said was proven to save lives.
More devices will need to be bought in order to roll out the expanded monitoring program with more resources allocated to provide oversight of accused offenders.
A cabinet-led implementation group will be set up for the scheme, while the laws are expected to be introduced to parliament within days.
"(The opposition) didn't leave us with thousands of electronic monitoring devices in a cupboard somewhere to roll out and he didn't provide a regime or set of protocols for bailees in the community either, so we have to invent it from scratch," Mr Minns said.
Mr Speakman indicated in-principle support for the changes, which are expected to pass parliament.
"There is a need to act swiftly and it is of utmost importance that these reforms be given priority," he said.
Domestic Violence NSW senior policy adviser Bridget Mottram said the reforms were a step forward, but more work needed to be done.
"This is just the start of a process we're really keen to continue to work with the NSW government on to ensure we've got a trauma-informed and safe justice system," she said.
Offence categories for which bail decisions can be "stayed" while the accused remains in custody will be expanded under the changes.
Bail decision-makers will need to consider a range of risk factors, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, coercive behaviour and stalking.
The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research on Tuesday reported there were already a record-high number of adults in custody for domestic-violence offences.
More than 3000 people were in custody for those offences in March, a near-64 per cent increase on the total five years earlier.
Reported domestic violence-related assaults rose more than 35 per cent, sexual offences by 30 per cent and intimidation and stalking by 96 per cent over the same period.
A woman has been killed every four days across Australia this year, sparking mass rallies and calls for political action at all levels of government.
Forbes woman Molly Ticehurst is one of them.
The 28-year-old was murdered in April in her central-western NSW home, allegedly by her former partner who was earlier granted bail by a registrar at a regional court after being charged with raping and stalking her.
Attorney-General Michael Daley had a very sad but respectful conversation with Ms Ticehurst's father and his partner on Monday, he said.
"They were very grateful for the fact that we were bringing these laws in," Mr Daley said.
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