Senate debates

Thursday, 18 March 2010

Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Offences Against Children) Bill 2010

In Committee

Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.

1:17 pm

Photo of Ursula StephensUrsula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | | Hansard source

by leave—I move government amendments (1) and (2) on sheet AF238:

(1)    Schedule 1, item 4, page 26 (after line 15), after section 273.2, insert:

273.2A  Consent to commencement of proceedings where defendant under 18

        (1)    Proceedings for an offence against this Division must not be commenced without the consent of the Attorney-General if the defendant was under 18 at the time he or she allegedly engaged in the conduct constituting the offence.

        (2)    However, a person may be arrested for, charged with, or remanded in custody or on bail in connection with, such an offence before the necessary consent has been given.

(2)    Schedule 1, item 28, page 50 (after line 6), after section 474.24B, insert:

474.24C  Consent to commencement of proceedings where defendant under 18

        (1)    Proceedings for an offence against this Subdivision must not be commenced without the consent of the Attorney-General if the defendant was under 18 at the time he or she allegedly engaged in the conduct constituting the offence.

        (2)    However, a person may be arrested for, charged with, or remanded in custody or on bail in connection with, such an offence before the necessary consent has been given.

I table a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government’s amendments to this bill. The memorandum was circulated in the chamber today.

Question agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Bill reported with amendments; report adopted.