Legislation to prevent sex offenders who refuse treatment being released from prison early

The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to better protecting the most vulnerable in our community and ensuring sex offenders take responsibility for their crime and their rehabilitation.

That’s why this week we will introduce the Corrections Amendment (Treatment of Sex Offenders) Bill 2015 to the Parliament.

This legislation is the first tranche of implementing our policy commitment on mandatory treatment for sex offenders in prison.

The community considers it totally unacceptable that a sex offender can refuse to participate in the treatment options on offer in the prison yet still be eligible for early release on Parole or to have their sentence remitted.

This legislation will ensure that participation in appropriate treatment must be taken into account by the Parole Board and remove eligibility for remission for offenders who refuse to participate in treatment.

The Bill amends the Corrections Act 1997 by requiring the Parole Board, in assessing an application for parole from a person who has been sentenced to imprisonment for a sex offence, to consider whether the prisoner has participated in appropriate treatment which addresses the underlying causes of offending behaviour.

The Bill also amends the Corrections Regulations 2008 by specifying that the Director of Prisons is not to grant remission of a sentence to a person in prison for sex offences if the prisoner has chosen not to participate in treatment, or if the prisoner’s participation is unsatisfactory.

The Sentencing Advisory Council is currently working on a referral in relation to mandatory treatment of sex offenders which will inform future tranches of the implementation of this important reform.
Vanessa Goodwin, Attorney-General