Horrific footage of man killed in police custody demands urgent reform from Labor's Premier and Police Minister

2025-07-15

NSW Greens Justice Spokesperson Sue Higginson has today condemned Labor Premier Chris Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley's failure to commit to reform of police responses to mental health.

This follows the release of horrific footage showing a mentally unwell man dying in custody as he screamed for help. It is reported that 45-year-old Collin Burling died in the early hours of Tuesday in police custody. The incident took place in Waterloo in Sydney’s inner-west after help was called because Mr Burling was experiencing a mental health episode.

Greens Justice Spokesperson and Solicitor Sue Higginson MP said: “This video footage of this horrifying and tragic incident demonstrates the continued failure of this State to provide the Right Care, Right Person to the vulnerable people of NSW in their moment of need. This must be the turning point for the Premier Chris Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley to do something”.

“People experiencing mental health episodes should be able to request assistance without the fear of being killed by the NSW Police”.

“Watching a man die in the arms of police as he screams for help is incredibly distressing and I don't know what else the Premier and the Minister need to convince them that we need urgent reform”.

“It keeps happening, police keep killing and harming vulnerable people and it’s got to stop. It doesn’t have to be this way. Labor must implement the recommendations from the Greens-led mental health inquiry calling for more investment in mental health supports to deal with these incidents, rather than police under the current system of policing”.

“After police pleaded guilty to filming and beating a naked mentally ill woman last week, we warned the Police Minister and the Premier this would happen all over again without intervention. Well, now it's happened all over again”,

“The cost of continued inaction from the Minns Labor Government is human lives, vulnerable human lives”.

“The Police Minister must ensure a full independent investigation from the Law Enforcement Conduct. A man has died screaming in pain and his family deserve better than police investigating themselves”.

My thoughts and the thoughts of my Greens colleagues are with Mr Burling's partner, his family and his community.”

For media contact: Sue Higginson on 0428 227 363