❓ Mr. Katsambanis questions the Attorney General on actions to protect Busselton from Peter Wallace Hill. The Attorney General outlines limitations due to Hill's offender status and existing legislation, but highlights future applicability of new high-risk offender laws.
AnsweredQoN 897Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CHILD SEX OFFENDER —
PETER WALLACE HILL
897. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Attorney General:
Now that the Attorney General has
had 24 hours to familiarise himself with the case, will he outline to the house
what he is doing to keep the people of Busselton safe from Peter Wallace Hill,
and can the Attorney General guarantee that Hill will not be living in close
proximity or have access to any children?
PETER WALLACE HILL
897. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Attorney General:
Now that the Attorney General has
had 24 hours to familiarise himself with the case, will he outline to the house
what he is doing to keep the people of Busselton safe from Peter Wallace Hill,
and can the Attorney General guarantee that Hill will not be living in close
proximity or have access to any children?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the
question. I do remember this case quite well. I was unable to go into it in
detail yesterday, as the member well knows. I want to give a bit of an outline
as to what happened. In relation to this matter, I facilitated a meeting at my
office between the Minister for Police, senior police and the victim's
father. It was not until yesterday afternoon that I got permission from the
victim's father to raise these issues in the Parliament, so today I do
so. We listened to the father's concerns. What we have to remember
about Hill is that he is not a registered dangerous sex offender. He does not
come under the dangerous sex offenders legislation; nor does he come under a post-sentencing
supervision order because he was released on parole and his offences did not
qualify for the legislation that the previous Liberal government introduced.
However, if I could just interpolate there for a moment, he will be captured by
the high-risk offenders legislation—the new McGowan Labor government
legislation—once it is assented to, and could be subject to
applications at that point at the expiration of his maximum term.
Not being a dangerous sex offender,
there was no constraint that I, as the Attorney General, could put upon him. He
was released on parole by the Prisoners Review Board, which is an independent
statutory authority over which, by statute of this Parliament, I have no
direction. I cannot give the parole board a direction in relation to any
prisoner. That is in statute law and that law was not changed during the eight
years of the previous government. I am horrified that Hill has been released
into the Busselton community in the manner in which he has. As I said, I do not
have a power of direction. I do not have a capacity to appeal. I contacted the
Commissioner for Victims of Crime and asked her whether she would contact the
parole board on the victim's parents' behalf to express their
utmost outrage and concern that this prisoner has been released back into the
Busselton community. I cannot break the law, as much as the member would like
me to break the law and get me trapped out at my wicket like he has been on a number
of occasions. I will not break the law by trying to direct the parole board to
do a certain thing that is against the law. That would see me finished in my
capacity as Attorney General. I will not do it. I have gone as far as I can by
bringing in the Minister for Police and senior police. This person was not a DSO
but a reportable offender, because he had committed a sex crime. I have said
that in relation to those, there could perhaps be an uplift in surveillance,
but it is not a function of the office of the Attorney General. Additionally, I
have asked the Commissioner for Victims of Crime to intercede on the victim's
behalf with the parole board, but I cannot give directions to people to whom I am
prohibited from giving directions—that is, the parole board. Custodial
officers do not fit within my jurisdiction. However, I do share the community's
concern that a decision has been made to release Hill there. I will still be
working. Once the high-risk offenders legislation is in place, I will have a look
at that again, because his term will not be finished. We will capture him under
the new legislation, which was part of the McGowan Labor government's
election promises. That promise has been delivered on and Hill will, in due
course, feel the full weight of it.
question. I do remember this case quite well. I was unable to go into it in
detail yesterday, as the member well knows. I want to give a bit of an outline
as to what happened. In relation to this matter, I facilitated a meeting at my
office between the Minister for Police, senior police and the victim's
father. It was not until yesterday afternoon that I got permission from the
victim's father to raise these issues in the Parliament, so today I do
so. We listened to the father's concerns. What we have to remember
about Hill is that he is not a registered dangerous sex offender. He does not
come under the dangerous sex offenders legislation; nor does he come under a post-sentencing
supervision order because he was released on parole and his offences did not
qualify for the legislation that the previous Liberal government introduced.
However, if I could just interpolate there for a moment, he will be captured by
the high-risk offenders legislation—the new McGowan Labor government
legislation—once it is assented to, and could be subject to
applications at that point at the expiration of his maximum term.
Not being a dangerous sex offender,
there was no constraint that I, as the Attorney General, could put upon him. He
was released on parole by the Prisoners Review Board, which is an independent
statutory authority over which, by statute of this Parliament, I have no
direction. I cannot give the parole board a direction in relation to any
prisoner. That is in statute law and that law was not changed during the eight
years of the previous government. I am horrified that Hill has been released
into the Busselton community in the manner in which he has. As I said, I do not
have a power of direction. I do not have a capacity to appeal. I contacted the
Commissioner for Victims of Crime and asked her whether she would contact the
parole board on the victim's parents' behalf to express their
utmost outrage and concern that this prisoner has been released back into the
Busselton community. I cannot break the law, as much as the member would like
me to break the law and get me trapped out at my wicket like he has been on a number
of occasions. I will not break the law by trying to direct the parole board to
do a certain thing that is against the law. That would see me finished in my
capacity as Attorney General. I will not do it. I have gone as far as I can by
bringing in the Minister for Police and senior police. This person was not a DSO
but a reportable offender, because he had committed a sex crime. I have said
that in relation to those, there could perhaps be an uplift in surveillance,
but it is not a function of the office of the Attorney General. Additionally, I
have asked the Commissioner for Victims of Crime to intercede on the victim's
behalf with the parole board, but I cannot give directions to people to whom I am
prohibited from giving directions—that is, the parole board. Custodial
officers do not fit within my jurisdiction. However, I do share the community's
concern that a decision has been made to release Hill there. I will still be
working. Once the high-risk offenders legislation is in place, I will have a look
at that again, because his term will not be finished. We will capture him under
the new legislation, which was part of the McGowan Labor government's
election promises. That promise has been delivered on and Hill will, in due
course, feel the full weight of it.
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