The Daily Telegraph called it a “holy Exodus,” senior chaplains resigning from the NSW Police because of the changed wording of a new contract that would require them to name police officers who contact them. But after media exposure of the decision, there has been a quick turnaround. The chaplains’ new contracts will now lose a controversial clause: “Upon request, contracted chaplains will now be required to disclose the full names of members who use the chaplaincy service.”
Many of the forces’ chaplains believed that the new wording would have conflicted with their ethical requirement to keep conversations confidential. But the police force has now backed down’
NSW Police said it remains committed to the chaplaincy service and deeply values.
“(Chaplains) do an incredible job with police morale, dealing with often young officers in horrifyingly difficult circumstances, and we owe them a big debt of gratitude,” Premier Chris Minns said.
“That is exactly why confidentiality matters. Police officers must know they can speak freely to a chaplain without fear that their private struggles will become management information.”
The NSW Police Force recently ran a tender process that closed on July 13, 2026, seeking qualified faith-based providers to deliver spiritual and pastoral care across the organisation.
Historically, full-time chaplains have been funded by the Police Force through grants or payments to religious denominational bodies, which then distribute stipends.
The revised new contract only permits chaplains to confirm the identity of officers they are supporting following a significant or mass casualty event to ensure affected officers receive appropriate welfare support.
Family First’s lead upper house candidate, Lyle Shelton, said the backdown was a victory for common sense and for the many police chaplains who courageously spoke out rather than compromise the trust placed in them by officers.
“I welcome the decision to clarify the contracts and preserve the confidentiality that has made police chaplaincy such a valued institution for the past 50 years,” Shelton said.