1998-1999-2000

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

THE SENATE

Presented and read a first time

Human Rights (Mandatory Sentencing for Property Offences) Bill 2000

No.      , 2000

(Senator Brown)

A Bill for an Act to implement Australia’s human rights obligations under various international instruments with respect to the sentencing of people for property offences

  ISBN:  0642 452199

Contents

1............ Short title............................................................................................ 1

2............ Commencement.................................................................................. 1

3............ Act extends to external territories....................................................... 2

4............ Interpretation...................................................................................... 2

5............ Mandatory detention or imprisonment of juveniles........................... 2

6............ Mandatory detention or imprisonment for property offences.......... 3

7............ Application......................................................................................... 3

8............ Transitional......................................................................................... 3

A Bill for an Act to implement Australia’s human rights obligations under various international instruments with respect to the sentencing of people for property offences

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

                   This Act may be cited as the Human Rights (Mandatory Sentencing for Property Offences) Act 2000.

2  Commencement

                   This Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

3  Act extends to external territories

                   This Act extends to every external Territory.

4  Interpretation

                   In this Act:

child means a person under 18 years of age.

property offence means any offence involving:

                     (a)  theft (irrespective of the value of the property); or

                     (b)  criminal damage to property; or

                     (c)  unlawful entry to buildings; or

                     (d)  unlawful use of a vessel, motor vehicle, caravan or trailer; or

                     (e)  receiving stolen goods; or

                      (f)  unlawful possession of goods reasonably suspected of being stolen; or

                     (g)  receiving stolen goods after change of ownership; or

                     (h)  taking reward for the recovery of property obtained by criminal means; or

                      (i)  assault with intent to steal; or

                      (j)  robbery; or

                     (k)  armed robbery;

or any other offence involving an unlawful interference with the property or property rights of another person, including an offence consisting of attempting or conspiring to commit, or aiding, abetting, counselling, or procuring the commission of, a property offence.

5  Mandatory detention or imprisonment of juveniles

                   A law of the Commonwealth, or of a State or of a Territory must not require a court to sentence a person to imprisonment or detention for a property offence committed as a child.

6  Mandatory detention or imprisonment for property offences

                   A law of the Commonwealth, or of a State or of a Territory must not require a court to sentence a person who is at least 18 years of age to imprisonment or detention for a property offence.

7  Application

                   To avoid doubt, enactments that are contrary to section 5 or 6 have no force or effect as laws of the Commonwealth, or of a State or of a Territory, except as regards the lawfulness or validity of anything done in accordance with those laws before the commencement of this Act.

8  Transitional

                   Any person (including a child) in prison or detention at the commencement of this Act pursuant to an enactment that is contrary to section 5 or 6 must be brought within 28 days after the day on which this Act commences before the court that sentenced him or her for re-consideration of the remainder of the sentence in accordance with this Act.  The court has full discretion to vary the sentence if it thinks fit in all the circumstances of the offender and the offence.