❓ Mrs Roberts questions the Minister for Police regarding the release of a dangerous sex offender (TJD) despite breaching parole conditions. The Minister defends police actions, blames the court's decision, and announces a review of the Dangerous Sexual Offenders Act to align court decisions with community expectations.
AnsweredQoN 167Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DANGEROUS SEX OFFENDERS — RELEASE FROM
PRISON
167. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Police:
I refer to the Minister for Corrective Services'
comments yesterday regarding GPS-monitored parolees that —
if they breach their conditions—they
only have to look the wrong way, at the moment—there will be consequences
for such actions.
Is it not true that the only consequence was that TJD was
released?
PRISON
167. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Police:
I refer to the Minister for Corrective Services'
comments yesterday regarding GPS-monitored parolees that —
if they breach their conditions—they
only have to look the wrong way, at the moment—there will be consequences
for such actions.
Is it not true that the only consequence was that TJD was
released?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Midland for
this question on an issue that has a high level of community interest. With
respect to the breach by this offender, police have dealt with this person
appropriate to the Bail Act, as they are required to do by law. I am confident
that they have acted appropriately in this circumstance with TJD. Let us take
it back a step. The only reason police officers are dealing with this person is
that he has been released by the courts. If I was sitting in that chair, I
might have made a different decision and then my police officers —
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale, I call you to order
for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
As I said, if I was in the seat making that decision —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
If I was in that seat making that decision, I would have said, ''I don't
want this guy living next to me; I don't want him living next to my
daughters.''
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the second time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
would have said, ''I don't want him living next to my sisters or
my nieces.''
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
would have made that decision and said that if it is not good enough for me to
have that guy living next door to me, it is not good enough for our community.
The government has said repeatedly that it disagrees with this decision. We do
not agree with this decision. The fact remains that because this person has been
released, he has become a problem for our community and our police officers. We
will not hear people on this side of the house bagging police officers.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Butler, I call you to order
for the first time.
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, you might break all records if you carry on the way you
are.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Plenty of members over there are prepared to represent the lawyers in the
courts, but no-one out there is willing to stand up for police officers. I
stand up for police officers. They have a difficult job managing this person
and the fact remains that if there had been a better decision by the court —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order
for the second time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
If there had been a better decision by the court—a decision consistent
with community expectations—this person would not have been released.
What is the government doing about this? We have announced —
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order
for the second time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
The government has announced an immediate review of the Dangerous Sexual
Offenders Act.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
In contrast to members opposite, who bag police officers and criticise the
actions of our police officers, we are taking action. We will review the
Dangerous Sexual Offenders Act so that we can compel the courts to make
decisions that are consistent with community expectations.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order
for the first time. This is drowning out the minister.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to
order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
In response to the member for Midland's question, the review of the
Dangerous Sexual Offenders Act will look at precisely these issues to ensure
that decisions made by the courts can be compelled to be made consistent with community
expectations. In addition to that, we can better manage these offenders and
community safety in the context of a review of the Dangerous Sexual Offenders
Act and ensure that our police officers do not have to deal with people whom
they have already locked up again and again. That is their frustration. They do
a great job and they are the best people to do the job we require of them in
managing this person whom the courts have deemed fit to release.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to
order for the second time.
this question on an issue that has a high level of community interest. With
respect to the breach by this offender, police have dealt with this person
appropriate to the Bail Act, as they are required to do by law. I am confident
that they have acted appropriately in this circumstance with TJD. Let us take
it back a step. The only reason police officers are dealing with this person is
that he has been released by the courts. If I was sitting in that chair, I
might have made a different decision and then my police officers —
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Armadale, I call you to order
for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
As I said, if I was in the seat making that decision —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
If I was in that seat making that decision, I would have said, ''I don't
want this guy living next to me; I don't want him living next to my
daughters.''
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the second time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
would have said, ''I don't want him living next to my sisters or
my nieces.''
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
would have made that decision and said that if it is not good enough for me to
have that guy living next door to me, it is not good enough for our community.
The government has said repeatedly that it disagrees with this decision. We do
not agree with this decision. The fact remains that because this person has been
released, he has become a problem for our community and our police officers. We
will not hear people on this side of the house bagging police officers.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Butler, I call you to order
for the first time.
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, you might break all records if you carry on the way you
are.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Plenty of members over there are prepared to represent the lawyers in the
courts, but no-one out there is willing to stand up for police officers. I
stand up for police officers. They have a difficult job managing this person
and the fact remains that if there had been a better decision by the court —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order
for the second time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
If there had been a better decision by the court—a decision consistent
with community expectations—this person would not have been released.
What is the government doing about this? We have announced —
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order
for the second time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
The government has announced an immediate review of the Dangerous Sexual
Offenders Act.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
In contrast to members opposite, who bag police officers and criticise the
actions of our police officers, we are taking action. We will review the
Dangerous Sexual Offenders Act so that we can compel the courts to make
decisions that are consistent with community expectations.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order
for the first time. This is drowning out the minister.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to
order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
In response to the member for Midland's question, the review of the
Dangerous Sexual Offenders Act will look at precisely these issues to ensure
that decisions made by the courts can be compelled to be made consistent with community
expectations. In addition to that, we can better manage these offenders and
community safety in the context of a review of the Dangerous Sexual Offenders
Act and ensure that our police officers do not have to deal with people whom
they have already locked up again and again. That is their frustration. They do
a great job and they are the best people to do the job we require of them in
managing this person whom the courts have deemed fit to release.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to
order for the second time.
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