Bill to expand Extended Supervision Orders passes first reading; submissions open

A Bill to expand Extended Supervision Orders (ESOs) for child sex offenders beyond the current maximum ten-year time frame has passed its first reading in Parliament.

The Parole (Extended Supervision Orders) Amendment Bill would enable ESOs to be renewed as often as they are needed, and expand the scope of orders beyond high-risk child sex offenders to include high-risk sex offenders against adults and very high-risk violent offenders.

Submissions are due to the Law and Order select committee by 15 September 2014.

The first ESOs lasting ten years will begin to run out at the start of 2015. Corrections Minister Anne Tolley said the Government needed 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.

Media reported that Labour and the Green Party supported the Bill to select committee stage and said it would need to be scrutinised there. Labour MP Phil Goff said the legislation is potentially controversial and has quite dramatic impacts on the rights of a small number of individuals, but it does so in order to protect the rights of a much larger number of people. He said Labour supports legislation which is evidence based and likely to be effective.

Media:

Sex offender law passes first reading, Radio NZ, 04.07.2014

Expanded ESO Bill passes first reading, Beehive: Anne Tolley, 03.07.2014