Family First Victorian Upper House candidates Bernie Finn and Jane Foreman today reaffirmed Family First's policy to remove biological males from women's prisons, following the recently published County Court judgment in DPP v Maloney (a pseudonym).
The judgment records that a 25-year-old biological male, now known as Autumn Tulip Harper, persistently sexually abused his five-year-old daughter, produced and transmitted 77 files of child-abuse material over a one-month period, and was sentenced to just four years and nine months' imprisonment, with eligibility for release after two years and six months.
Despite the offending against a little girl, the offender is incarcerated in a women's prison, the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.
This is because under LGBTIQA+ laws supported by Liberal and Labor he identifies as a woman.
"This is a devastating failure of justice and a reckless failure of safeguarding women," Mr Finn said.
"A biological male who committed repeated crimes against his own child should never be placed with female prisoners, many of whom are already survivors of male violence. Family First will legislate to end this practice, full stop."
Ms Foreman said the public has a right to know the full circumstances.
"It is astonishing that no Australian mainstream outlet has reported this judgment. The facts are in the court's own reasons: 19 separate instances of sexual abuse over a concentrated period, child-abuse material created and sent, and a head sentence that falls dramatically short of community expectations. This is clearly in the public interest and should be reported."
Family First's policy position is clear:
- Single-sex prisons must be protected. Biological males must not be housed in women's facilities.
- Child-sex crimes warrant serious time. Sentencing should reflect the gravity of the harm and the community's need for deterrence and protection.
- Transparency matters. When a case of this magnitude is effectively invisible in mainstream reporting, public confidence in the system erodes.
"We will introduce legislation to bar placement of biological males in women's prisons and to tighten sentencing for child-sex offending, ensuring penalties that match the crime," Mr Finn and Ms Foreman said.
"Victorians deserve truth, safety and justice — not ideology," Ms Foreman added.
"Women in custody are entitled to dignity and protection, and every child deserves a justice system that puts their safety first."
Family First urges the Government and Opposition to back urgent safeguards and invites Victorians who share these concerns to vote for Family First at next year's Victorian election.
