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On April 14, 2023 NSW paramedic Steven Tougher was fatally stabbed in Campbelltown while on a break during his shift.

Steven’s family – his then-pregnant wife Madison, his father Jeff, mother Jill and sister Jessica – have suffered unimaginable grief since that terrible day.

The attacker later admitted in court that he’d stabbed Steven multiple times, but he was found not criminally responsible for the fatal act on mental health grounds.

To the family’s immense credit, they have been fighting ever since to change the law through state parliament so the kind of brutal attack Steven suffered will never happen to another emergency frontline worker in NSW.

Essentially, Steven’s Law calls for a minimum 12-month jail term for anyone who assaults frontline workers, but that sentence is suspended if the offender attends a rehabilitation program.

The family’s campaign also includes a series of recommendations such as body-worn cameras and stab-proof vests.

The family has been selling Steven’s Law stickers ($5 each) to the general public and placing them on NSW Ambulance vehicles to promote the cause. Starting in mid-December, in the space of three months Jeff posted 6000 stickers to supporters.

“The idea of the stickers,” Jeff said, “is to get the message into as many electorates as I can, so that the pollies are seeing them on the road all the time and then when they come back to parliament and someone mentions Steven’s Law, they’ll say, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve heard about that’, or ‘I’ve seen that’.”

Steven’s Law supporters also held Silly Socks events in April to raise awareness of the campaign to change the law.

Jeff and Jill left Wollongong on April 14 – the second anniversary of their son’s death – to drive around NSW distributing Steven’s Law stickers to ambulance stations across the state as part of a week-long tour to build greater awareness about the issue.

Before they left, Jeff told us that the aim of the trip was to “meet the ambos while they’re on the job ... and give them the stickers to put on the ambulance, so they’re on every ambulance”.

Judging from their warm reception on the road, the Toughers are close to mission accomplished.

When the Flame contacted Jeff and Jill towards the end of their trip they were feeling “really positive” about the reaction from the public and NSW Ambulance staff.

“It’s been awesome,” Jeff said. “We’ve smashed it. It’s been amazing.”

Overwhelming interest from media outlets has also forced Jeff and Jill to become adept at wrangling journalists, photographers and TV news camera crews.

“We’ve done two and a half thousand kilometres and we’ve learnt so much from so many paramedics – it’s been fantastic.”

As well as the trip being a positive push for the Steven’s Law campaign, Jeff said the visits to numerous NSW Ambulance stations had also reinforced just how difficult everyday work was for emergency frontline staff – and that is a point he plans to make at the Paramedic Security roundtable scheduled for May 22.

“It’s amazing what they [emergency frontline workers] actually put up with on a day-to-day basis and how much the public gets away with.

“So that’s basically what we’ll bring into that meeting. I’ll be letting them know because they already know what we’re after and what we want. So it’s more about access to politicians now.

“That’s the idea of getting it into the electorates. And I think it [Steven’s Law] would have absolute bipartisan support. This is not an issue. You’d have to be a mug to put your hand up and say ‘No’, wouldn’t you?”

Jeff said that from the start, when Premier Chris Minns and Health Minister Ryan Park visited the family home immediately after Steven’s death, state government ministers have been very supportive.

“Chris Minns rung me the other day talking about things and I didn’t want to get too into it with him because it was more about ringing up about Steven.

“And I happened to say to him: ‘You’re aware of what we’re trying to do?’ And he said ‘Mate, you just do what you have to do. Don’t you worry about us.’ They’ve given us plenty of access to the ministers. They’re very positive.”

The Tougher family will attend a Paramedic Security roundtable on May 22 with representatives from the Health Services Union, NSW Ambulance paramedics, experts, NSW Health department officials and NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park, the Member for Keira.

How to buy Steven’s Law stickers

Send an email to stevenslaw12@gmail.com with details of your order, Jeff will respond with bank details and after receiving your payment he’ll mail out the stickers – postage is free.

#ZeroTolerance

Recommendations for protection of frontline workers, including Steven’s Law

1. Body-worn cameras for all ambulance paramedics working in the wider community

At least one per crew – to gather evidence of assault. Regulations to be implemented to inform the public of the camera and its use.

2. Stab vests to be issued to all paramedics

To be worn at the discretion of the paramedic, but must be stored in the ambulance, in a position of easy access.

3. Steven’s Law

Legislation to impose a mandatory minimum 12 months’ jail term for assaulting any frontline worker. Regardless of circumstance or state of mind. Sentence can be suspended, provided the perpetrator attends regular programs to address anger management, drug and alcohol problems and mental health issues. (Programs to be supplied by the government.)

Failure to comply with the terms of these programs will result in incarceration for the remainder of the sentence. Steven’s Law is designed to support the evidence gathered by the cameras or by witness account. This support will take away the onus on the victim to press charges.

The aim of this law is to put a 12 months period between the victim and the perpetrator. Thus eliminating the chance of the frontline worker being confronted again in the workplace by the perpetrator.

Paramedic Security roundtable called

How will the government respond to the Tougher family’s calls to implement Steven’s Law?

“The family of Steven Tougher is in the forefront of our minds at this difficult time,” NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park told the Illawarra Flame in a statement last month.

“Jeff, Jill, Jess and Madi continue to advocate for change and we have worked closely with them to understand their views and how we may be able to assist in further improving safety for all frontline workers.

“All frontline workers have a right to come to work without being hurt or injured and the NSW Government is deeply committed to continuously improving their safety.

“We continue to develop a range of strategies and initiatives developed with Steven’s family:

“Evaluation of the body-worn cameras research trial; in-vehicle cameras; mobile phone alerts; further occupational violence prevention training; and police information sharing.

“A 12-month research project is also being conducted in collaboration with Charles Sturt University to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of stab-resistant body armour.

“A Paramedic Security roundtable will be held next month with the Health Services Union, NSW Ambulance paramedics and experts which I will have the privilege of attending along with representatives of the Tougher family.”