More legislation to note

08/11/2007

The Crimes Amendment (Consent - Sexual Assault Offences) Bill 2007 was introduced toï¿½the Legislative Councilï¿½on 7 November. The objects of the Bill, as defined in theï¿½Explanatory Notes is toï¿½amend the Crimes Act 1900:

to define âconsentâ for the purposes of sexual assault offences as free and voluntary agreement to sexual intercourse, and
to include in the cases when consent to sexual intercourse is or may be negated: incapacity to consent, intoxication, persons who are asleep or unconscious, unlawful detention, intimidatory or coercive conduct and abuse of a position of authority or trust, and
to provide that a person commits sexual assault if the person has no reasonable grounds for believing that the other person consents to the sexual intercourse.

ï¿½View the minister's second reading speech>

Bail Amendment Bill 2007

The object of this Bill is to amend the Bail Act 1978:ï¿½

to create a presumption against bail in respect of certain serious firearms offences, and
to limit the number of applications in relation to bail that may be made to a court by a person accused of an offence, and
for statute law revision purposes.

The Billï¿½was declared agreed to in principle on 7 November. View the agreement in principle debate by Greg Smith MP, shadow attorney general>

Jury Amendment Bill 2007

The Bill was introduced in the Legislative Assembly on 23 October. The object of this Bill, as stated in the explanatory notes,ï¿½is to amend the _Jury Act 1977 _to:

enable up to 3 additional jurors to be selected for certain criminal trials in the Supreme Court or District Court, and
ensure that only 12 members of a jury that is expanded with additional jurors may retire to consider the juryâs verdict.

The Bill passed parliament on 7 November. Greg Smith MP led for the Opposition in the agreement in principle debate. View his speech>

8 November 2007

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