New legislation boosts support for victims of crime

New legislation boosts support for victims of crime

• Increased support for registered victims through Queensland Corrective Services’ Victims Register
• More powers for police to address breaches of child sex offender orders
• Crackdown on prisoner communication being used to inflict harm

Victims of crime will be given greater support through new laws introduced to parliament today.

The new laws put victims first by making it easier for victims to register. Third parties will be able to provide referrals, allows for victims impacted by homicide offences to register if the offender returns to custody and allows for victims to engage with register and parole process through using video or audio recordings.

Victims of crime will have greater representation on the Parole Board, ensuring that the lived experience of victims is considered in decisions and at least one professional board member must be a First Nations person under the proposed laws.

The laws will also mean that prisoners who use telephone privileges to carry out prohibited communication such as threatening a person’s safety or breaching a domestic violence order can have those privileges revoked.

Police will also be given greater powers to address suspected breaches of an order by a person supervised under the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act through entering premises, photographing evidence and searching mobile phones.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Fire and Disaster Recovery and Minister for Corrective Service, Nikki Boyd MP:

“The Miles Government is committed to supporting victims of crime,” the Minister said.

“These new laws have been prioritised by the Miles Government because they put victims first and put victim’s rights first.

“Third parties like the Homicide Victims Support Group will be able to refer someone for registration so they don’t need to keep telling and re-telling their story and victims will have more flexibility about how they make submissions to the register or the parole board.

“Importantly, prisoners who use telephone privileges to threaten people or breach domestic violence orders from behind bars can have those privileges stripped to put an end to the offending behaviour.

“While parole will always be a part of the way we hold offenders to account and provide a chance at rehabilitation, victims need to be supported and heard.”