SA Parliament introduces new laws targeting predators who lie about their age online to children

ADULTS who lie about their age online and arrange to meet children would face up to five years in jail under stricter laws introduced to Parliament by the State Government.

ADULTS who lie about their age online and arrange to meet children would face up to five years in jail under stricter laws introduced to Parliament by the State Government.

Those who also intend to commit a crime against the child could face up to 10 years in jail.

It comes as police are warning that predatory behaviour towards children online is on the rise.

Attorney-General Vickie Chapman has introduced Carly’s Law to State Parliament, in honour of Adelaide teenager Carly Ryan, who was murdered in 2007 by a much older man who pretended to be a young musician online.

Carly’s mother Sonya Ryan, who has long-campaigned for the laws, said police officers had told her that online predatory behaviour against children “certainly has not diminished” and latest national data showed a “significant increase”.

“Police are saying ‘We are watching predatory behaviour unfold (online) but we can’t do anything yet’,” Ms Ryan said of current laws.

“We really want to make sure that police are able to step in before they (offenders) are able to get in front of a child.

“The time frame between actually making contact with a young person and then attempting to meet them is really reducing. It used to be a few months. In Carly’s case it was 18 months. Now we’re seeing as little as two weeks.”

Federal MPs passed a national version of Carly’s Law in Canberra last year which made it an offence to lie about your age online and arrange to meet a minor only if you also had the intention of committing a crime against them.

The state version instead creates a new offence of lying about your age and arranging a meeting with a child, bearing a maximum five year penalty.

If authorities are able to prove an alleged offender also intended to commit a crime against the child the maximum penalty rises to 10 years.

The laws would apply to any child aged 16 or younger living in South Australia.

Offenders aged over 18, who pretend they are any younger than their actual age would be captured by the new rules.

Similar legislation was proposed by SA Best candidates ahead of the March state election and supported by Labor

It echoed a previously unsuccessful attempt by Advance SA MP John Darley in 2013.

It is expected the Liberal Government will have the numbers to pass its legislation through Parliament with the support of Mr Darley and newly elected SA Best MPs Connie Bonaros and Frank Pangallo.