REFORMS TO CHILD SEX OFFENCES INTRODUCED
4 February 2010
Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O'Connor, today introduced into Parliament reforms to strengthen Commonwealth child sexual exploitation laws.
"The Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Offences Against Children) Bill introduces a range of reforms to child sex offences, including online offences and child sex tourism, to ensure they meet the needs of law enforcement agencies and remain effective in combating these horrendous crimes," Mr O'Connor said.
"The sexual exploitation of children is a devastating and widespread form of criminal activity and the Government is committed to taking all necessary action to protect children from harm.
The reforms enhance online offences and ensure consistent treatment of offending regardless of how the material is distributed by:
- increasing penalties for online child pornography offences and creating a new high penalty offence for online child pornography networks;
- introducing new online offences for sending indecent material to, or for sexual activity with, a child; and
- introducing a suite of child sex-related postal service offences.
"These reforms will help law enforcement to combat the highly organised, technologically sophisticated rings of child sexual abusers who take advantage of the opportunities and anonymity that the Internet provides to cause horrific damage to their child victims," Mr O'Connor said.
"These abusers will now be subject to maximum penalties of up to 25 years imprisonment, sending a strong message that such behaviour will not be tolerated."
The Bill also introduces a new scheme for the forfeiture of child pornography or child abuse material, or items such as computers containing material, providing law enforcement with an appropriate means of dealing with such items.
"These reforms also strengthen child sex tourism laws and introduce new offences for dealing in child pornography or child abuse material overseas so Australians who travel overseas to sexually exploit children will not escape the punishment they would have received if these offences were committed in Australia," O'Connor added.
Contact: Senior Policy and Media Adviser, Brian Humphreys 0438 595 567