Elise Archer,Attorney-General
Tasmanians want MANDATORY jail time for serious child sex offenders. That is what today’s debate is about and Labor have confirmed they will once again oppose this, just as they did when they blocked the legislation from becoming law in 2017.
The fact is, Labor’s continued opposition to our mandatory minimum sentences legislation means that serious child sexual offenders can escape jail entirely for the rape of a child under 17 or for maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person where there are circumstances of aggravation.
We are more than happy to talk about further ways to toughen maximum sentencing, but Labor’s new policy will do absolutely nothing to make sure convicted child sex offenders are put behind bars.
Their contradictory and nonsensical statement today shows a complete lack of understanding of current sentencing law and disingenuously attempts to misrepresent what mandatory minimum sentences achieve.
The courts already have a discretion to impose the maximum sentence available under Tasmanian law for any crime (as well as indefinite detention under Dangerous Criminal laws), yet the highest sentence handed down for these sexual offences against children between 2015 and 2018 was 15 years. Labor’s policy would do absolutely nothing to change that and would not guarantee convicted child sex offenders go to jail.
The Hodgman Liberal Government has been pushing for tougher sentencing for child sex offenders for five years and it has been opposed and blocked by Labor at every stage.
It is an indictment on Labor to have blocked mandatory sentencing two years ago but five days before a Legislative Council election to suddenly pretend to be tough on sentencing, while still opposing guaranteed jail time.
If Labor really want to be tough on crime, they will change their long-held opposition and support our Bill for mandatory sentences for serious child sex offenders today.
