Criminal offence for impersonating a government agency and new sentencing rules for sexual offences
Penalties and Sentences (Sexual Offences) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
Private Member's BillAssembly
Introduced by: Deborah Frecklington (LNP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
It is a criminal offence to falsely claim to be a government agency or act on its behalf.
People convicted of this offence can face up to three years in prison.
Courts must treat the age of a child aged 16 or 17 as an aggravating factor for rape or sexual assault sentences.
Courts cannot use an offender's good character to reduce a sentence for a sexual offence if that character helped them commit the crime.
Courts can only use good character as a mitigating factor for sexual offences if it relates to rehabilitation or the risk of reoffending.
Courts cannot assume a victim suffered little or no harm just because there is no victim impact statement.
Sentencing purposes must now include recognizing the harm done to the victim.
The chief executive can suspend a blue card for prescribed offences.