Expanded ESO Bill passes first reading

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that a Bill which expands Extended Supervision Orders (ESOs) for child sex offenders beyond the current maximum ten-year time frame has passed its first reading in Parliament.

Under the Parole (Extended Supervision Orders) Amendment Bill, ESOs will be able to be renewed for as long as they are needed, with regular mandatory review by the courts.

It will also allow ESOs to be extended to include the management of high risk adult sex offenders and very high risk violent offenders.

“The first ESOs lasting ten years will begin to run out at the start of next year,” says Mrs Tolley.

“We need to act to ensure that those offenders who still pose a risk at the end of an order can continue to be managed by Corrections.

“Corrections will be able to apply to the court to impose a new order at any time for a child sex offender, while ESOs will be expanded to include a small number of high risk sex offenders against adults, along with very high risk violent offenders.

“I want to acknowledge the cross-party support for this Bill in the House today.”