Paedophiles will be jailed for LIFE under new laws set to pass parliament today
- A tough new law to combat child sex abuse is likely to pass in federal parliament
- It would allow judges to give whole life sentences to the very worst abusers
- The attorney general hopes mandatory sentencing will protect vulnerable kids
- Currently a third of convicted abusers never serve a single day behind bars
A landmark bill allowing judges to jail paedophiles for life is set to pass federal parliament on Thursday.
Those who commit sickening crimes against children have often been handed short sentences, with some even released into the community without supervision, attorney general Christian Porter said.
Child abusers would receive a mandatory minimum sentence under the new bill, which also limits bail for repeat offenders.
Under current rules, a third of federally-convicted child sex offenders spent no time in prison in 2019 – and those who did go to jail averaged just 18 months behind bars.
Most child sex offences are dealt with by states, with this new law only applying to federal cases.
A new law targeting paedophiles is likely to pass in federal parliament on Thursday (stock image)
The proposed new laws are aimed at dealing with online or overseas predators, with new offences being set up to target the owners of websites known to host child sex abuse content.
‘Sexual crimes against children destroy lives,’ Mr Porter said on Thursday.
”It simply beggars belief that nearly a third of all child sex offenders who were sentenced last year were not required to spend a single day behind bars,’ the attorney general said.
‘Despite the devastating and life-long impacts that their crimes have on their young victims and their families.’
The bill will likely pass in federal parliament today (pictured, Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison on Wednesday)
While Labor has expressed concerns about mandatory minimum sentencing, senators have indicated they won’t oppose the bill.
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese told parliament on Wednesday his party would help the government in ‘any way possible’ to end child abuse.
It follows comments made by home affairs minister Peter Dutton, after a police operation saved 14 children from abuse.
‘The Australian Federal Police working with AUSTRAC and others is detecting more and more people who are depraved, who are online and who deserve to be caught and will be punished,’ Mr Dutton told parliament.
It would also create offences for when someone subjects a child to cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment, or which causes a child to die.
The proposal will not apply to people under 18.