❓ Mr Katsambanis questions the Attorney General's decision to exclude child murderers from the multiple murders bill, citing the ongoing distress to victims' families due to statutory parole reviews. The Attorney General defends the decision, highlighting the previous government's opposition to changes and the potential for unintended consequences.
AnsweredQoN 882Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SENTENCE ADMINISTRATION
AMENDMENT (MULTIPLE MURDERERS) BILL 2018 — PAROLE REVIEWS
882. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Attorney General:
I have a supplementary question. Can
the Attorney General explain to the people of Western Australia why the
families of victims of other heinous crimes—like the family who had to
suffer the crime of Dante Arthurs—will continue to endure a statutory
review of the murderer's parole every three years because the Attorney General
refuses to include child murderers in the multiple murders bill?
Several members interjected.
AMENDMENT (MULTIPLE MURDERERS) BILL 2018 — PAROLE REVIEWS
882. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Attorney General:
I have a supplementary question. Can
the Attorney General explain to the people of Western Australia why the
families of victims of other heinous crimes—like the family who had to
suffer the crime of Dante Arthurs—will continue to endure a statutory
review of the murderer's parole every three years because the Attorney General
refuses to include child murderers in the multiple murders bill?
Several members interjected.
AnswerView source ↗
This
system has been in Western Australia for decades, and it was supported by you
as part of a government that absolutely opposed the policy announced by me and
the Premier in 2016. You said it was unworkable, it was impracticable, and that
there would be no change to the Sentence Administration Act under a Liberal
government that you were a part of. Now you come here, seeking an explanation
from us as to why we are going to stick with the mandate that the people of Western
Australia gave us. You cannot just capriciously turn around and say, ''Anyone
who is a child murderer will be subject to this legislation'', or there
will be some poor woman who in distressed circumstances killed a child or
children of her own elevated to the same category as Catherine Birnie. Are you
for real?
system has been in Western Australia for decades, and it was supported by you
as part of a government that absolutely opposed the policy announced by me and
the Premier in 2016. You said it was unworkable, it was impracticable, and that
there would be no change to the Sentence Administration Act under a Liberal
government that you were a part of. Now you come here, seeking an explanation
from us as to why we are going to stick with the mandate that the people of Western
Australia gave us. You cannot just capriciously turn around and say, ''Anyone
who is a child murderer will be subject to this legislation'', or there
will be some poor woman who in distressed circumstances killed a child or
children of her own elevated to the same category as Catherine Birnie. Are you
for real?
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