Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Stricter laws crack down targets child sex offenders
Serious repeat child sex offenders will face indefinite imprisonment under proposed law changes in South Australia.
January 23, 2024
Laws to enable serious repeat child sex offenders to be imprisoned or monitored indefinitely are set to be introduced in South Australia.
Under proposed amendments to the Sentencing Act 2017, jailed paedophiles would need to show they can control their sexual instincts before they are released and face lifetime electronic monitoring if they re-enter the community.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the laws would be the toughest in the country once legislated.
“Our community is rightly sick of seeing paedophiles offending again and again and then being released back into the community,” he said on Tuesday.
“I want to be clear, dangerous repeat offender paedophiles should not be in our community where they pose a risk to children.
“These laws will keep them locked up in jail, where they belong.”
The amendments are likely to be introduced to the SA parliament in February.
The Malinauskas government has previously introduced several other changes to child sex offender laws, including increasing penalties, slashing sentencing discounts and banning child sex offenders from working in places that hire underage employees.