LNP Leader David Crisafulli announces ‘three-tier’ child sex offender register plan

Parents will be able to search photos, names and locations of convicted child sex offenders under an LNP plan to expose pedophiles. TAKE OUR POLL

Parents will be able to search photos, names and locations of convicted child sex offenders under an LNP plan to expose pedophiles.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli will publicly reveal details of the “three-tier’’ public register on the Gold Coast on Sunday morning.

Under tier one of the plan, offenders who are at large or fail to comply with reporting and other conditions, will be named and their picture flagged on a website.

Tier two will allow the public to apply to find out which dangerous or high-risk offenders were currently living in their area and request photographs of them.

While under tier three, parents or guardians will be able inquire about a specific person who has regular, unsupervised contact with their children.

Western Australia is the only state with a public sex offender register. The LNP register would be structured in the same way.

Victoria’s Upper House has committed to an inquiry into whether to publicly disclose the details of convicted pedophiles, while South Australia last week introduced laws to its parliament which, if passed, would allow the SA police commissioner to release details of child sex offenders, also under a three-tier approach.

The Morrison government tried to introduce a national register in 2019 but met resistance from the states.

Bruce and Denise Morcombe have backed the LNP’s child sex offender registry plan.

Mr Crisafulli said a website would provide photographs and personal details of reportable offenders who had either failed to comply with reporting obligations, or provided false or misleading information to police.

“If their location or whereabouts was not known to police, we believe the community deserves to know these people are at large,’’ he said.

He said if a known dangerous offender was living in someone’s immediate area they “deserve to know what they look like’’.

“If Queenslanders vote for change on October 26, a government I lead will introduce a Public Child Sex Offender Register,’’ he said.

“My team and I are focused on reducing the number of victims in Queensland and if this register protects just one child, stops one child from becoming a victim, it is a decision we must make.

“And we are making the right decision. We will put the rights of children, the rights of victims, ahead of the rights of perpetrators.

“This register will give parents and guardians access to critical information.

“It will be attributed to an innocent young boy from the Sunshine Coast and forever known as Daniel’s Law.

Mr Crisafulli said there would be provisions in the legislation to prevent misuse of any information on the register.

“Any actions against someone on the register should be handled by police, for the safety of everyone. This is about informing and protecting,” he said.

“This is a robust response, but it is a response which is needed to support families and children.

“We should never shy away from actions that are required to be done.’’

Bruce and Denise Morcombe, whose son Daniel was murdered in 2003 by now-jailed child sex monster Brett Peter Cowan, backed the plan which they had lobbied for 15 years to introduce.

They said it was a measured approach which did not have the problems of the United States’ Megan’s Law, but was still strong enough to act as a deterrent to reoffending.

Child sex offender and killer Brett Peter Cowan.

The Morcombes said they hoped such a register would have sufficient protections to ensure it would not be successfully challenged in the courts or by bodies such as the Human Rights Commission.

“It’s a healthy and large step forward to protect our children,’’ Mr Morcombe said.

“What is being proposed ticks off on a lot of privacy issues.

“Having three tiers is similar to the West Australian legislation.

“It’s a strong deterrent for adults that wish to go down the path of reoffending, but it’s not a silver bullet and we need other measures such as early intervention programs.