Petition for a National Sex Offenders Register

13 September 2013

Peter Katsambanis, Liberal Member for the North Metropolitan Region, has urged the public to sign a petition to establish a National Sex Offenders Register.
 
The petition to establish a national sex offenders register has been set up by well-known broadcaster Derryn Hinch and can be accessed at his website – humanheadline.com.au
 
“A national register would definitely increase the safety and security of vulnerable people right across Australia, especially young children,” Mr Katsambanis said in the WA Parliament.
 
“In Western Australia we have led the way in this area, having set up a state-based online register of sex offenders in October 2012. This register has proved extremely popular with over 100,000 hits.
 
“Unfortunately, these dangerous offenders do not recognise state borders. They sometimes go to extreme lengths to change their appearance and even their names after they have been released back into the
community.
 
“Having a national register will mean that no matter where they go across Australia, these offenders will be tracked, and people will know if they are living in their local area. This would provide a greater level of safety and security for all law-abiding citizens”.
 
Mr Katsambanis said that in setting up such a register the Commonwealth Government should use the existing successful Western Australian register as a model.
 
“I congratulate Derryn Hinch for taking the initiative to establish this petition. I have signed the petition and I urge everyone to support it.
 
“I urge the incoming Commonwealth government to take action so that we can establish this register to provide the protection that our young people, our children and vulnerable members of our society need, expect and deserve”.