Shadow Attorney-General Lara Giddings says opposition to the Government’s ‘Make Criminals Pay’ policy is growing louder by the day.
“The Law Society has come out today and slammed the Liberals’ policy, calling it “crude” and demanding it be dumped,” Ms Giddings said.
“The Australian Lawyers Alliance and TasCOSS also have strong reservations about the legalisation.
“To bring this on during Anti-Poverty Week is a cruel joke.
“The policy slugs those who can afford it least with a levy above and beyond any costs imposed by the courts.
“People face the courts for things like begging, how can they possibly be expected to pay a $50 tax.
“It’s likely to trap people in the cycles of crime and poverty.
“It’s bad public policy and it certainly couldn’t be relied on as a source of income for the Government.
“Tens of millions of dollars is already owed in court fines.
“Attorney General Vanessa Goodwin needs to bring on better law reform than this, which will only drive crime up not stop it.
“The Liberals’ foray into law reform since coming to power has been an unmitigated disaster.
“They appear determined to take discretion away from our courts.
“Their protest laws were substantially watered down, they’ve stalled on abolishing suspended sentences and they embarrassingly scrapped plans to change defamation laws.
“Tough talk in opposition has proven to make for very bad policy in government.”
Lara Giddings MP Shadow Attorney-General
