A GROUP tasked with helping a prospective Liberal government develop tougher sentencing for sex offenders has previously advised against such penalties.
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Yesterday the Liberals said if elected they would introduce minimum mandatory sentences for child sex offenders with the help of the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute.
However, in 2008 the institute said it opposed mandatory minimum penalties.
Opposition Leader Will Hodgman did not say yesterday what the minimum term would be but indicated between four and 15 years.
"A shocking statistic of one in four girls and one in six boys will experience child sexual abuse before the age of 18," he said.
"There is also a low prosecution rate of child sex offenders, and Tasmania rates as the least safe state when it comes to protecting children from sexual predators."
Mr Hodgman said minimum mandatory punishments were in line with community expectations and national standards.
He said serious crimes such as sex with a young person and involving minors in child pornography would trigger the sentences.
Mr Hodgman said they would be developed in conjunction with the sentencing advisory council and the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute.
But in a 2008 sentencing report the institute said such penalties could lead to injustices and there was no evidence that they worked as a deterrent.
"Politicians frequently promise mandatory penalties if elected to government," its report said.
Victim support group Beyond Abuse lauded the Liberals' proposal.
"Finally we have a party in Tasmania who is listening to victims of child sex abuse and is willing to implement changes that will discourage people from committing these heinous crimes against our most vulnerable members of society," Beyond Abuse's Steve Fisher said.
Acting Attorney-General Michelle O'Byrne restated the government's opposition to mandatory minimum sentencing.
The government is legislating to prohibit alleged paedophiles from using the excuse in court that they thought their victims were older at the time of the offence.
The Liberals said they also supported having no defence of mistaken age for sexual offences against children aged 12 or under.
Other Liberal proposals included:
Compulsory treatment for all sex offenders in jail.
Up to $200,000 a year for child safety awareness programs in primary schools.
