NEW LAWS TO KEEP POTENTIAL TERRORISTS BEHIND BARS

The NSW Government will introduce new laws to protect the community from potential terrorists who pose an unacceptable risk at the completion of their prison sentences.

These laws will ensure that the government can take preventative action against any prisoner who poses a terror risk at the completion of their sentence, including continued detention, if required – irrespective of the offence for which they were imprisoned.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Attorney General Mark Speakman, and Minister for Counter Terrorism and Minister for Correctives David Elliott announced the reforms today ahead of the

Special COAG Meeting on Counter Terrorism in Canberra tomorrow.

“NSW has already introduced new laws for investigative detention, provided a presumption against bail and parole for anyone with links to terror, and provided certainty for police officers if they are required to use lethal force against terrorists,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“Today’s announcement shows, once again, that we will not hesitate to take tough actions to keep our community safe.”

The new laws will be modelled on NSW’s existing post sentence scheme for high-risk violent and sex offenders. Safeguards will be put in place to ensure that these extraordinary measures are used appropriately.

“Community safety is our highest priority and these reforms will further strengthen NSW’s comprehensive counter terrorism framework,” Mr Speakman said.

Mr Elliott said that the new laws complement the Government’s $47 million investment to combat violent extremism in the prison system, and stronger parole provisions creating a presumption against parole for anyone with links to terrorism.

“We will not take a backward step when it comes to combating terrorism and will continue to ensure our law enforcement agencies have all the powers they need,” Mr Elliott said.

NSW will also implement the Commonwealth’s High Risk Terrorist Offenders scheme, as agreed at COAG in April 2016.