The Greens are calling for courts to ban good-character references in sexual assault cases.
Jess Beckerling, the party’s spokesperson for Women and Children’s Safety, said it’s time for the practice to be scrapped from the legal process.
“Western Australia must take advantage of increasing national momentum and implement the removal of good-character references for convicted sex offenders.
“Because let’s be clear: you cannot be both a person of good character and a convicted paedophile or a convicted rapist.
“This notion is a complete oxymoron, an outdated idea, and it is time it was scrapped entirely,” Beckerling said.
“It is very common for convicted sex offenders to use their networks and their reputation to enable their crimes in the first instance, and then to rely on that reputation and those networks throughout their trial to reduce the severity of charges and sentences.
“Both New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have legislated to abolish good-character references in sentencing, and now the Victorian Labor government has promised the same reforms if re-elected.
“These reforms reflect a broader cultural and legal shift toward centring lived experience, closing loopholes, and ensuring accountability is grounded in harm, not reputation.
“I would like to see any perpetrator whose perceived good character, networks and/or power might have facilitated or made possible their offending stripped of the privilege of good-character references,” Beckerling said.
The renewed call from The Greens comes as the government confirms it is considering a review of current court processes that allow people to introduce evidence of their previous good character.
