The Rockliff Liberal Government is committed to keeping Tasmania’s children safe and is ensuring the vital work to implement the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry continues on schedule.
“Our Government has approved the drafting of legislation to implement a range of recommendations related to the justice system, and my Department has already commenced work on the legislative program,” Attorney-General Guy Barnett said.
“Drafting will soon commence for amendments to the processes utilised by the Registrar of Registration to Work with Vulnerable People in making risk assessments, along with a range of reforms to the criminal and civil justice system.
“Reforms currently being progressed include amendments to the Criminal Code and other legislation to broaden the scope of child sex offences, improve the process for pre-trial rulings, improve the law in relation to jury directions, and clarify that consent in not a mitigating factor in sentencing for child sex offences.
“Out of the 191 recommendations made by the Commission in its Final Report, 54 recommendations have been identified as requiring legislative initiatives to implement. These reforms form part of Phase 1 of the legislative agenda, which will see legislation to implement 16 recommendations tabled by 1 July this year,” Attorney General Barnett said.
Public consultation on all of the draft legislation will occur in the coming months.