Member for Roe Peter Rundle MLA is demanding to know why the Cook Labor Government is allowing regional WA to be used as a “criminal dumping ground” for violent offenders released on bail.
This follows a Perth District Court Judge’s decision to release an accused rapist to live in the Great Southern town of Katanning without electronic monitoring.
Under the Family Violence Legislation Reform Act 2024, repeat domestic violence offenders are subject to mandatory electronic monitoring conditions.
However, cases are emerging of violent offenders being released into rural communities where they can roam free without any kind of GPS tracking.
Mr Rundle says the Government’s commitment to mandatory electronic monitoring for high-risk violent offenders was now proving farcical with victims and the general public being placed in vulnerable situations.
“It beggars’ belief that violent offenders are being allowed to roam free in rural WA because the courts are unable to use their so-called mandatory monitoring powers under the Act.
“Clearly, the Act needs amending before more innocent people get hurt.”
Mr Rundle has called on the Cook Labor Government to explain why the Act is not delivering the mandatory monitoring promised by the Premier and what plans were in place to make it work.
“This reform has been an abject failure, and it is creating a high-risk environment for people up and down the State. I have asked the Premier when his mandatory monitoring became optional – and why?
“In the latest case, a violent offender who repeatedly breached a suspended prison sentence, protective bail conditions and violence restraining orders was allowed to roam free in Katanning, a town of more than 4000 people, which has somehow been adjudged an appropriate place for someone accused of rape to hang out between court dates?”
Mr Rundle says it is not good enough for the Cook Labor Government to fob the issue off as something that was a matter for the courts.
“Even the Judges are saying that there are significant issues in relation to electronic monitoring in the regions. If the Act needs fixing, fix it. If the Cook Government can’t, we certainly can.”
Mr Rundle says to add insult to injury; the violent offender in question has now had his bail conditions amended so he can reside in Perth without GPS tracking despite previous domestic violence convictions and restraining orders.
He is accused of leaving a WA woman “half-dead” after his most recent attack.