TASMANIANS who assault police will face mandatory jail time under tough laws passed by the Legislative Council. MLCs yesterday waved through the government's Assaults on Police Officers Bill without making any changes. The impending laws include minimum six-month sentences for people who inflict grievous bodily harm on police. Magistrates and judges will be unable to suspend the sentences, and being drunk or drug-affected will not be accepted as an excuse. Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin told MLCs the police assault laws would ensure consistency. The government has foreshadowed extending the laws to capture attacks on paramedics, firefighters and other emergency services workers. "This really is fundamentally about providing better protection for our police officers, ensuring that if they are assaulted and serious bodily harm results, they will have a sentence imposed on the offender that is commensurate with the gravity of the crime," Dr Goodwin said. The Attorney-General insisted no amendments to the government's bill would be accepted. "This is about supporting this bill and its principle, or not," she said. "Watering it down does not achieve the objective sought by the government or indeed the Police Association." Dr Goodwin's remarks came after Launceston MLC Rosemary Armitage attempted to scrap the mandatory provisions from the laws. Under the changes, judicial officers would have been instructed to consider, but not forced to impose, minimum sentences. Ms Armitage's proposal was endorsed by the peak body representing Tasmanian lawyers, who had argued mandatory sentences invariably led to unjust outcomes. Ms Armitage's amendments garnered some support among MLCs, but were ultimately defeated eight votes to six. Law Society president Matthew Verney also highlighted to MLCs assaults against Tasmanian police were consistently declining, along with the severity of injuries sustained in the attacks. 'It concerns me that we are seeing a concerted effort by the government to peel back the discretion of the courts," he said.
TASMANIANS who assault police will face mandatory jail time under tough laws passed by the Legislative Council.
MLCs yesterday waved through the government's Assaults on Police Officers Bill without making any changes.
The impending laws include minimum six-month sentences for people who inflict grievous bodily harm on police.
Magistrates and judges will be unable to suspend the sentences, and being drunk or drug-affected will not be accepted as an excuse.
Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin told MLCs the police assault laws would ensure consistency.
The government has foreshadowed extending the laws to capture attacks on paramedics, firefighters and other emergency services workers.
"This really is fundamentally about providing better protection for our police officers, ensuring that if they are assaulted and serious bodily harm results, they will have a sentence imposed on the offender that is commensurate with the gravity of the crime," Dr Goodwin said.
The Attorney-General insisted no amendments to the government's bill would be accepted.
"This is about supporting this bill and its principle, or not," she said.
"Watering it down does not achieve the objective sought by the government or indeed the Police Association."
Dr Goodwin's remarks came after Launceston MLC Rosemary Armitage attempted to scrap the mandatory provisions from the laws.
Under the changes, judicial officers would have been instructed to consider, but not forced to impose, minimum sentences.
Ms Armitage's proposal was endorsed by the peak body representing Tasmanian lawyers, who had argued mandatory sentences invariably led to unjust outcomes.
Ms Armitage's amendments garnered some support among MLCs, but were ultimately defeated eight votes to six.
Law Society president Matthew Verney also highlighted to MLCs assaults against Tasmanian police were consistently declining, along with the severity of injuries sustained in the attacks.
'It concerns me that we are seeing a concerted effort by the government to peel back the discretion of the courts," he said.
