❓ Mr. Papalia questions the Minister for Corrective Services about the release of a dangerous sex offender, suggesting GPS tracking influenced the decision. The Minister denies this, stating GPS is not a factor for judicial release.
AnsweredQoN 153Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DANGEROUS SEX OFFENDERS —
GPS TRACKING DEVICES
153. Mr P. PAPALIA to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
I have a supplementary question. Is it not true that the only
reason this violent serial rapist got out of prison is because of the minister's
decision to allow these bracelets to be used by dangerous serial sex offenders
who would otherwise be in jail?
GPS TRACKING DEVICES
153. Mr P. PAPALIA to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
I have a supplementary question. Is it not true that the only
reason this violent serial rapist got out of prison is because of the minister's
decision to allow these bracelets to be used by dangerous serial sex offenders
who would otherwise be in jail?
AnswerView source ↗
Absolutely not. The use of GPS and the provision of GPS
technology cannot be used as a factor for the judiciary to release someone who
otherwise would not have been released.
Mr M. McGowan :
Read the judgement!
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : I have read it. There are 44 conditions on his release. One
of those 44 is to be subject to tracking so that they can monitor the other 43 conditions.
If it was, and if it is ever, a condition for someone to be released who is a
threat to the community, and it is a condition that is considered by the judge
or the magistrate at the time, I would be the first person to have a
conversation with —
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time.
Minister, just answer the question, thank you.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : If a judge or magistrate used GPS tracking as a condition to
release someone who otherwise would not have been released if we did not have
that technology, I would be the first person to have a conversation with the
Attorney General about that. It was not a condition that allowed him to be
released.
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro!
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
We made it crystal clear at the time, and I am making it crystal clear again,
that it is not a technology that can be used to release someone who otherwise
would not have been released.
technology cannot be used as a factor for the judiciary to release someone who
otherwise would not have been released.
Mr M. McGowan :
Read the judgement!
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : I have read it. There are 44 conditions on his release. One
of those 44 is to be subject to tracking so that they can monitor the other 43 conditions.
If it was, and if it is ever, a condition for someone to be released who is a
threat to the community, and it is a condition that is considered by the judge
or the magistrate at the time, I would be the first person to have a
conversation with —
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time.
Minister, just answer the question, thank you.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : If a judge or magistrate used GPS tracking as a condition to
release someone who otherwise would not have been released if we did not have
that technology, I would be the first person to have a conversation with the
Attorney General about that. It was not a condition that allowed him to be
released.
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro!
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
We made it crystal clear at the time, and I am making it crystal clear again,
that it is not a technology that can be used to release someone who otherwise
would not have been released.
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