The Hodgman Government will go the next election promising mandatory jail for child sex offenders, which is strongly supported by both victims and the community. Labor, on the other hand, are promising a ‘report’ into sentencing options with no guarantee of jail time for these offenders.
We went to the last election promising mandatory sentences for child sex offenders- a position the community overwhelmingly endorsed at both the 2013 Pembroke election, and the 2014 election.
Labor refused to back that plan, because they would rather take the side of the criminal than the victims and the community.
Worse still, Labor pulled out all the stops to block the plan in the Legislative Council.
The community was rightly appalled and now Labor is in a mad scramble to try and pretend that they are tough on sex crimes against children.
For Labor to come out now and say they want stronger sentences for these appalling crimes is a sick joke.
No one is fooled by this stunt. Until Labor is prepared to back mandatory jail sentences for anyone found guilty of sexually assaulting a child, they will continue to be seen as soft on crime and we will call them out and hold them to account every time.
It’s also interesting that once again, Rebecca White is nowhere to be seen. Instead, Labor is pushing out the soon-to-retire Lara Giddings to shield Ms White from scrutiny.
Only a majority Hodgman Liberal Government will do what’s necessary to protect children.