❓ A parliamentary question regarding the granting of bail to Jason Wimbridge despite facing schedule 2 offences. The Minister deflects, citing lack of notice and incorrect portfolio assignment, while highlighting a commitment to reviewing release processes.
AnsweredQoN 546Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Court government’s 1998 amendments to the Bail Act that expanded the number of schedule 2 offences, for which bail is automatically denied. (1) What offence under the Criminal Code was Jason Wimbridge charged with after holding up a Bendigo Bank branch in July and terrorising innocent members of the public? (2) Given that robbery, assault with intent to harm and grievous bodily harm are all schedule 2 offences, meaning that bail is automatically denied, why was Wimbridge granted bail? Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. If he had given me some notice, I would have been able to provide the exact details. The Leader of the Opposition has also not yet worked out that bail and the courts are in the portfolio of the Attorney General. Notwithstanding that, it is important that the processes under which people are released into the community be looked at. This government, as the member will know, has given a commitment, through the Mahoney inquiry, to look at every process in the justice portfolio. Mr Mahoney will report to this Parliament, and we will then be able to make some sensible decisions to ensure that the release of prisoners into the community is done with community safety as a priority. This government is committed to that outcome.
(1) What offence under the Criminal Code was Jason Wimbridge charged with after holding up a Bendigo Bank branch in July and terrorising innocent members of the public? (2) Given that robbery, assault with intent to harm and grievous bodily harm are all schedule 2 offences, meaning that bail is automatically denied, why was Wimbridge granted bail? Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO replied: (1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. If he had given me some notice, I would have been able to provide the exact details. The Leader of the Opposition has also not yet worked out that bail and the courts are in the portfolio of the Attorney General. Notwithstanding that, it is important that the processes under which people are released into the community be looked at. This government, as the member will know, has given a commitment, through the Mahoney inquiry, to look at every process in the justice portfolio. Mr Mahoney will report to this Parliament, and we will then be able to make some sensible decisions to ensure that the release of prisoners into the community is done with community safety as a priority. This government is committed to that outcome.
(2) Given that robbery, assault with intent to harm and grievous bodily harm are all schedule 2 offences, meaning that bail is automatically denied, why was Wimbridge granted bail? Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO replied: (1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. If he had given me some notice, I would have been able to provide the exact details. The Leader of the Opposition has also not yet worked out that bail and the courts are in the portfolio of the Attorney General. Notwithstanding that, it is important that the processes under which people are released into the community be looked at. This government, as the member will know, has given a commitment, through the Mahoney inquiry, to look at every process in the justice portfolio. Mr Mahoney will report to this Parliament, and we will then be able to make some sensible decisions to ensure that the release of prisoners into the community is done with community safety as a priority. This government is committed to that outcome.
Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO replied: (1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. If he had given me some notice, I would have been able to provide the exact details. The Leader of the Opposition has also not yet worked out that bail and the courts are in the portfolio of the Attorney General. Notwithstanding that, it is important that the processes under which people are released into the community be looked at. This government, as the member will know, has given a commitment, through the Mahoney inquiry, to look at every process in the justice portfolio. Mr Mahoney will report to this Parliament, and we will then be able to make some sensible decisions to ensure that the release of prisoners into the community is done with community safety as a priority. This government is committed to that outcome.
(1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. If he had given me some notice, I would have been able to provide the exact details. The Leader of the Opposition has also not yet worked out that bail and the courts are in the portfolio of the Attorney General. Notwithstanding that, it is important that the processes under which people are released into the community be looked at. This government, as the member will know, has given a commitment, through the Mahoney inquiry, to look at every process in the justice portfolio. Mr Mahoney will report to this Parliament, and we will then be able to make some sensible decisions to ensure that the release of prisoners into the community is done with community safety as a priority. This government is committed to that outcome.
(1) What offence under the Criminal Code was Jason Wimbridge charged with after holding up a Bendigo Bank branch in July and terrorising innocent members of the public? (2) Given that robbery, assault with intent to harm and grievous bodily harm are all schedule 2 offences, meaning that bail is automatically denied, why was Wimbridge granted bail? Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO replied: (1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. If he had given me some notice, I would have been able to provide the exact details. The Leader of the Opposition has also not yet worked out that bail and the courts are in the portfolio of the Attorney General. Notwithstanding that, it is important that the processes under which people are released into the community be looked at. This government, as the member will know, has given a commitment, through the Mahoney inquiry, to look at every process in the justice portfolio. Mr Mahoney will report to this Parliament, and we will then be able to make some sensible decisions to ensure that the release of prisoners into the community is done with community safety as a priority. This government is committed to that outcome.
(2) Given that robbery, assault with intent to harm and grievous bodily harm are all schedule 2 offences, meaning that bail is automatically denied, why was Wimbridge granted bail? Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO replied: (1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. If he had given me some notice, I would have been able to provide the exact details. The Leader of the Opposition has also not yet worked out that bail and the courts are in the portfolio of the Attorney General. Notwithstanding that, it is important that the processes under which people are released into the community be looked at. This government, as the member will know, has given a commitment, through the Mahoney inquiry, to look at every process in the justice portfolio. Mr Mahoney will report to this Parliament, and we will then be able to make some sensible decisions to ensure that the release of prisoners into the community is done with community safety as a priority. This government is committed to that outcome.
Mr J.B. D’ORAZIO replied: (1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. If he had given me some notice, I would have been able to provide the exact details. The Leader of the Opposition has also not yet worked out that bail and the courts are in the portfolio of the Attorney General. Notwithstanding that, it is important that the processes under which people are released into the community be looked at. This government, as the member will know, has given a commitment, through the Mahoney inquiry, to look at every process in the justice portfolio. Mr Mahoney will report to this Parliament, and we will then be able to make some sensible decisions to ensure that the release of prisoners into the community is done with community safety as a priority. This government is committed to that outcome.
(1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. If he had given me some notice, I would have been able to provide the exact details. The Leader of the Opposition has also not yet worked out that bail and the courts are in the portfolio of the Attorney General. Notwithstanding that, it is important that the processes under which people are released into the community be looked at. This government, as the member will know, has given a commitment, through the Mahoney inquiry, to look at every process in the justice portfolio. Mr Mahoney will report to this Parliament, and we will then be able to make some sensible decisions to ensure that the release of prisoners into the community is done with community safety as a priority. This government is committed to that outcome.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.