MEDIA RELEASE
Friday 28 August 2026
The Aboriginal Legal Service is alarmed and disappointed that the NSW Premier has chosen to expand a controversial police drone surveillance trial in Moree without waiting for a review to be finalised.
Police Minister Yasmin Catley confirmed in Budget Estimates today that a police evaluation of the trial has not yet been completed and there is not yet a business case for the drone program to be rolled out further. When asked whether the evaluation would be made public, the Minister responded: “That’s for the police … I think I’ll say no at this point”.
“We are blindsided by the Premier’s decision to dig in his heels on this unproven, controversial technology,” said Sharif Deen, Acting CEO of the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT (ALS).
“By piloting this intrusive technology in Moree, the NSW Government and NSW Police Force have chosen to target a small community with a significant Aboriginal population and no power to object.
"This irresponsible expansion of police surveillance is another betrayal of Closing the Gap.
“We have serious questions about whether this use of police drones is compatible with people’s right to privacy and whether current laws provide adequate protections amid this new form of surveillance. These are questions that the Government should consider before extending this program in Moree or expanding it to other areas.”
Community members have told the ALS that police drones are regularly flying over parts of the township that are predominantly Aboriginal.
“Many Aboriginal community members in Moree live in a context of intergenerational, structural disadvantage and trauma as a result of the town’s extreme history of racist segregation, discrimination and over-policing. Walking outside to find police drones hovering over their heads is harming their wellbeing and damaging an already fragile relationship with police. People are telling us they’re worried about leaving their houses,” Mr Deen said.
“There has been no meaningful community consultation, despite NSW Police claims to the contrary. Aboriginal organisations in Moree were told about the drone surveillance launch after a decision had already been made, and on the same day it was announced to the media. Subsequent community ‘consultation’ has consisted of an online-only survey, which could have mainly been completed by police officers for all we know,” Mr Deen said.
The drone surveillance program comes at a time when the NSW prison population is at an all-time high and Aboriginal people are more over-represented in custody than ever before. A record number of Aboriginal people died in custody last year, and NSW is on track to meet or exceed that record in 2026.
“The Premier is presiding over the worst justice system failure we’ve ever seen in NSW – and he seems determined to make it even worse.
"The Government’s own data shows there has been no increase in crime rates, just an unprecedented surge in police activity.
“At the end of the day, police drones won’t do anything to prevent crime or make communities safer. They are just a new and expensive tool used by a government that wants to look tough, rather than investing in regional communities to meet their needs and prevent crime in the first place,” Mr Deen said.
