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AAP
AAP
National
Luke Costin

Release comms from day of tasering, NSW opposition says

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley batted away questions over the tasering of Clare Nowland. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

The public should be able to see all communication between Premier Chris Minns, his police minister and senior officials from the day a 95-year-old grandmother was fatally tasered, the state opposition says.

The coalition on Tuesday called on the government to release information from May 17 and 18 as it doggedly pursues Police Minister Yasmin Catley over what she knew about the force's contact with the family of Clare Nowland.

Mrs Nowland was tasered in her Cooma nursing home on May 17, with police saying key details were kept from the public for two days so her family could be directly informed.

The coalition used most of its Question Time ammunition on Tuesday to press Ms Catley but mostly received brief answers.

"The police commissioner has answered this question repeatedly and publicly, as have I," the minister replied to one question.

Ms Catley last week batted away suggestions she should stand down, backing the police and emphasising it was an operational matter.

Opposition leader Mark Speakman accused Ms Catley of undermining public trust by ducking scrutiny of her actions.

He said the government needed to explain why it took police almost a day between informing the family and telling the public Mrs Nowland had been tasered.

Police initially alerted the public to an incident at Mrs Nowland's nursing home on May 17.

But that first media release had mention of the taser, paramedic, knife and Mrs Nowland's walking frame removed during the drafting process, AAP revealed last week.

The details emerged in subsequent media reports and a police press conference.

Mr Minns on Tuesday reiterated the media release issue was separate from the police investigation, which had followed correct procedures and resulted in the relevant senior constable being criminally charged.

He confirmed his office learned Mrs Nowland had been tasered on May 17 after being informed by the police minister's office.

The premier said he agreed with police keeping the matter quiet to prevent Mrs Nowland's relatives from learning about the matter through the media.

Mrs Nowland, who lived with dementia, died a week after police were called to her nursing home to help get a steak knife off her.

The senior constable is due to face a NSW court next week on three charges, including recklessly causing grievous bodily harm.

That charge, laid before the grandmother's death, may be upgraded in court.

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