Sex Offenders Registration Amendment (Miscellaneous) Bill 2017

In relation to the Sex Offenders Registration Amendment (Miscellaneous) Bill 2017, we repeat our previous criticisms of the sex offenders registration regime made in our submission on the Sex Offenders Registration Amendment Bill 2016.

In that submission we noted that there are at least three foundational problems with the current system of sex offender registration in Victoria:

(a)    The expanding number of registrants;

(b)    The absence of judicial discretion as to whether a person should be placed on the register; and

(c)    The complexity of reporting obligations. 

In relation to the 2017 Bill, there are two positive steps (subject to qualifications) but also many problematic aspects.