Community Rallies Behind Paramedic's Family in Fight for Justice

Surrounded by friends and strangers dressed in his son's favourite colour, Jeff Tougher looked anything but alone.

Woonona Bowling Club was filled with laughter, prizes and people determined to support the family of paramedic Steven Tougher, who was fatally stabbed while on a work break in Sydney's south-west on April 14, 2023.

A Community Comes Together

The crowd at the Woonona Bowling Club for the fundraiser on September 11 was a testament to the community's support for the Tougher family.

Jeff joked with the crowd, while his wife, Jill, said the fundraiser would have suited their son perfectly.

"I just want everyone to know that Stevie was so much more than what happened to him on the 14th of April," she said.

"This is right up his alley; a big party, everyone having fun and still helping the community."

A Father's Quest for Justice

But away from the crowds, Jeff worries whether he is doing enough to honour his son's legacy.

"The three o'clock in the morning waking up thinking, 'Am I doing the right thing? Am I representing my son in the proper way?'" he said.

"Have I upset somebody? Have I said something that has damaged my chances? Have I offended a politician? Am I that pest? I never wanted to be that pest."

The Fight for Frontline Worker Safety

Following Steven's death, Jeff found himself becoming an unlikely advocate for frontline-worker safety.

The family remains determined to secure legislative change recognising Steven's legacy.

During visits to ambulance stations and a road trip distributing Steven's Law stickers, he says he and Jill spoke with more than 1,000 paramedics.

The warm welcomes often gave way to quieter disclosures.

"When the fanfare died down and we'd been there a little while, they'd start to pull you aside and say, 'I need to talk to you about this. This is what happened to me and I'm not being supported,'" Jeff said.

"They'd say, 'We're told to just suck it up. It's part of the job.'"

Statistics on Occupational Violence

NSW Ambulance figures show 1,500 incidents of occupational violence were reported against staff in the first eight months of 2026.

There were 1,376 reported incidents throughout 2025 and 1,081 in 2024.

Occupational violence covers a broad range of behaviour, including physical assault, intimidation, threats, verbal abuse, inappropriate touching and sexualised behaviour.

NSW Ambulance's Response

NSW Ambulance said this year's apparent increase could partly be attributed to a change introduced in January requiring emergency medical call-takers to record any aggressive behaviour from patients or callers.

NSW Ambulance said it supported and encouraged staff to report violence and aggression, and paramedics had its full backing not to enter or to withdraw from situations they considered unsafe.

It said it had established a dedicated occupational violence prevention team, expanded face-to-face safety training and improved the way incidents are reported, categorised and reviewed.

The service is also improving mobile duress technology and working with NSW Police on information-sharing.

A spokesperson said the Tougher family would always have the "unwavering support" of NSW Ambulance.

The Campaign for Steven's Law

Jeff's advocacy began in the immediate aftermath of his son's death.

"I remember when grief turned to anger and I remember when grief turned to vengeance," he said.

"I remember saying to myself, 'You're not going to get anywhere harbouring those thoughts and wasting energy on those emotions.'"

"I thought to myself, 'What can I do to help my son achieve a legacy for what he sacrificed that day?'"

The answer came to him almost immediately: Steven's Law.

Jeff initially called for a mandatory 12-month prison sentence for anyone convicted of assaulting a frontline worker.

He also sought body-worn cameras, access to stab or slash-resistant garments and a major public awareness campaign intended to make Steven's Law widely understood.

Government Response and Future Plans

The NSW government does not support mandatory minimum sentences, arguing they remove judicial discretion and risk producing unjust outcomes.

"Courts must be able to impose appropriate sentences based on the facts and circumstances of each case," a government spokesperson said.

Jeff has not abandoned the campaign, but he has begun looking for a compromise.

He has suggested a mandatory $1,000 fine as a possible starting point and now describes Steven's Law as a package of prevention, protection, consequences and public education rather than a single penalty.

"I was starting the negotiations at the 12-month mandatory jail term," he said.

"Let's work back. Let's work back to something we can put together. You can't just flick it."