- Sentence Administration Amendment (Multiple Murderers) Bill 2018 to be introduced into Parliament
- Attorney General during their term of appointment will be able to direct that mass murderers and serial killers must not be considered for parole or a re-socialisation program
- Key election commitment intended to limit trauma to survivors, family and friends of murder victims
New laws enabling the Attorney General to issue a direction to suspend the Prisoners Review Board's statutory reporting functions in respect of prisoners serving terms for serial killings or mass murders will be introduced into State Parliament today.
Attorneys General of successive governments have consistently made public declarations that certain prisoners will not be released during that Attorney's term of appointment.
However, these public declarations have had no impact as the Prisoners Review Board is required under legislation to consider whether the prisoner should be released.
The proposed legislation will provide the Attorney General with the ability to give legal effect to those public declarations in respect to mass murderers and serial killers, being those who commit three or more murders on the same day or two or more murders on separate days, respectively.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
"Prior to the March 2017 State election, WA Labor pledged to reform WA's parole laws to ensure that serial killers and mass murderers would not be considered for parole.
"The aim of this policy is to limit trauma to family and friends of murder victims and others impacted by the crimes, including surviving victims of serial killers and mass murderers, by suspending the consideration for parole or a re-socialisation program.
"This is about putting victims and their families first, ahead of murderers.
"This suspension, should the Attorney General of the day determine to exercise it in a case that is captured by the proposed legislation, would remain in place for a period of up to six years."
As stated by Attorney General John Quigley:
"In 2016, an online petition started by Kate Moir calling for reform to parole laws received more than 41,000 signatures.
"Ms Moir is the survivor of the serious violent crimes, including four murders, committed by David and Catherine Birnie.
"Survivors and secondary victims are re-traumatised every time these prisoners come up for consideration for a re-socialisation program or parole, as is required under existing parole legislation.
"They are forced to relive the most horrific events of their lives all over again.
"The secondary victims and survivors of these horrendous crimes have already suffered enough, they should not be put through this process every three years."
