Leader of the Opposition, Lia Finocchiaro, says it’s absurd only a dozen people have been bailed on police electronic monitoring since the Gunner Labor Government brought in ‘expanded’ powers for police to issue ankle bracelets – four years ago.
“In early 2017, Labor rushed through legislation in a desperate attempt to appear like it was tackling crime by giving police the powers to include electronic monitoring as a condition of bail, saying “The expansion of electronic monitoring to Police bail will encourage compliance with bail requirements, particularly curfews, to stop people re-offending.”
“We’re now four years on, and it’s been revealed just twelve people have been bailed on police electronic monitoring since that law was passed. This is not the fault of police. This law was rushed and is unworkable, yet the Gunner Labor Government hasn’t done anything to address it.
In 2017, six (6) people were bailed by police with electronic monitoring. That figure dropped to three (3) in 2018, and further dipped to two (2) in 2019. Estimates questioning revealed just one (1) person was bailed by police with electronic monitoring in 2019/20, and no ankle bracelets have been issued for police bail this financial year to the end of February.
“How has the Chief Minister looked at these figures, each and every year, and decided this almost non-existent police bail monitoring process is acceptable? It is little wonder victims of crime are feeling completely ignored by this government – it’s taken Labor four long years to listen to our police about the issues with electronic monitoring. But we still have to wait until May to see how the Chief Minister plans to tinker with the current system.
“In the last fortnight, the CLP introduced the Bail Amendment Bill 2021 which would have given police the power to include mandatory electronic monitoring if a repeat offender is granted bail. If Labor had agreed to back our Bill on urgency – police would have those powers right now. We would also now have a presumption against bail for repeat adult and youth offenders and right now breach of bail would be an offence.
“But instead of offering bipartisan support to address the Territory’s escalating crime crisis – the Chief Minister and his weak Labor team refused to back our legislation. They are now directly responsible for every Territorian who is victimised by a repeat offender on bail,” said Ms Finocchiaro.