Two foreign paedophiles a week deported from Australia in government crackdown
FOREIGN-born paedophiles living in Australia are being deported out of the country at a rate of two a week as the federal government cracks down on child sex offenders.
NSW
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FOREIGN-born paedophiles are being deported at an unprecedented rate of two a week as the federal government cracks down on “sick and depraved” perpetrators.
A record nine paedophiles were sent packing back to India, Mongolia, Brazil, the United Kingdom and New Zealand in July, with another six to be deported this month.
Almost four years since migration laws were tightened, exclusive figures obtained by The Sunday Telegraph reveal 263 paedophiles have had their visas cancelled after committing a child sex offence.
Not only are offenders being booted out of the country, more than 100 paedophiles hoping to gain entry into Australia have also been blocked since the laws changed.
The offenders had been in Australia on a variety of temporary visas, including tourist and work.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the deportations reflected the rising prevalence of child exploitation together with greater enforcement activity.
“The repulsive abuse and exploitation of children is sadly becoming more prevalent,” he said.
“As a former detective in the Queensland Sexual Offenders Squad — hearing first-hand the accounts of victims of sexual offences — you realise just how damaging and devastating they are to children and their families.
“The sick and depraved perpetrators of this abuse destroy lives. Some victims will never recover to lead a normal life.”
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Under amendments to the Migration Act, a visa can be immediately cancelled in the event of a child sex offence conviction.
The figures show 38 people convicted on child pornography charges also had their visas cancelled, with 29 refused entry to Australia.
The paedophile crackdown comes as the government moves to toughen sentences handed out to child sex offenders with a Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Bill before parliament.
The Bill was introduced to address what the government claims are manifestly inadequate sentences being handed down to Commonwealth child sex offenders.
Under the existing laws, less than 60 per cent of convicted offenders have received a term of imprisonment since 2012 — and those that did served just six months behind bars.
The government argues the new laws will see child sex offenders spending longer in jail, less likely to be granted bail and parole, more closely supervised after release and the most serious and repeat offenders face mandatory minimum sentences.
Next month, the federal government will also open its $70 million Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) in Brisbane, which will focus on disrupting, preventing and investigating child abuse.
The Centre will combine the resources of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, the Australian Border Force together with state and federal government agencies, while also working closely with overseas departments such as the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.