Child Sex Tourism Bill in Australia
On March 23rd 1994 the Child Sex Tourism bill was introduced into the House
of Representatives. This act, which amended the Crimes Act of 1914, enabling the
Australian government to prosecute Australian child sex offenders overseas.
Before the introduction of this new legislation, if an offence was committed
overseas and not punished whilst in the country, Australian law officials were
powerless.
The proposed changes in the law are to deal with the following issues:
Firstly sexual offences committed by Australian Residents overseas, particularly
in relation to acts of paedophilia committed within the major trouble spot, Asia.
This section refers to anyone who commits a sexual act on a child under the age
of sixteen, at the time that the offence was committed. Also the changes intend
to deal with organisations that may run or promote child sex tours, such as
travel agencies and the like, who have specifically run sex tour packages.
Defences to these offences such as stating that the defendant had no knowledge
of the child's age will be also targeted, as currently, this is a major
stumbling block on the course to justice. Finally to save time and cost, video
link hearings will be setup between the child in question overseas, and the
Australian courts.
The changes stated above were required to not only protect abused children
residing overseas, but to prove that the Australian Government is in touch with
the community values within Australian cities. The amendments made to the law
were needed because of the shameful amount of Australians indulging in sex
practices with minors in countries other than Australia. Before the law was
amended the general feeling among those involved in the process was that the
Child Sex Tourism Act would have to carry severe penalties with it. The reason
for such hefty penalties is that the law had the potential to be more of a
deterrent to 'would be' offenders and to also reflect the... [continues]
On March 23rd 1994 the Child Sex Tourism bill was introduced into the House
of Representatives. This act, which amended the Crimes Act of 1914, enabling the
Australian government to prosecute Australian child sex offenders overseas.
Before the introduction of this new legislation, if an offence was committed
overseas and not punished whilst in the country, Australian law officials were
powerless.
The proposed changes in the law are to deal with the following issues:
Firstly sexual offences committed by Australian Residents overseas, particularly
in relation to acts of paedophilia committed within the major trouble spot, Asia.
This section refers to anyone who commits a sexual act on a child under the age
of sixteen, at the time that the offence was committed. Also the changes intend
to deal with organisations that may run or promote child sex tours, such as
travel agencies and the like, who have specifically run sex tour packages.
Defences to these offences such as stating that the defendant had no knowledge
of the child's age will be also targeted, as currently, this is a major
stumbling block on the course to justice. Finally to save time and cost, video
link hearings will be setup between the child in question overseas, and the
Australian courts.
The changes stated above were required to not only protect abused children
residing overseas, but to prove that the Australian Government is in touch with
the community values within Australian cities. The amendments made to the law
were needed because of the shameful amount of Australians indulging in sex
practices with minors in countries other than Australia. Before the law was
amended the general feeling among those involved in the process was that the
Child Sex Tourism Act would have to carry severe penalties with it. The reason
for such hefty penalties is that the law had the potential to be more of a
deterrent to 'would be' offenders and to also reflect the... [continues]
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