Nationals MP says rural towns have become a dumping ground for violent criminals

Towns in rural Western Australia have become a dumping ground for violent criminals released on bail without mandatory electronic monitoring devices being imposed, according to Nationals MLA Peter Rundle.

Under the Family Violence Legislation Reform Act 2024, repeat and serious domestic violence offenders should be subjected to mandatory electronic monitoring conditions in Western Australia.

But it was revealed GPS tracking devices do not work outside of the Perth metro area and it is not mandatory for judges to impose the condition.

Mr Rundle said cases were emerging of violent offenders being released into rural communities where they could roam free without any kind of GPS tracking.

A survivor of family and domestic violence, Kelly North, told ABC Radio Perth that she went into shock when she was given 48 hours notice that her alleged perpetrator had applied for bail.

The man was granted bail by a District Court judge and allowed to live in the regional town of Katanning without electronic monitoring.

“I just had a heart attack straight away,” she said.

“I absolutely (did) not (feel) safe, and then just kept changing around places so I wasn’t in one place for too long, just in case someone found out where I was.

“I wasn’t even going seeing friends, and friends that knew the situation said, ‘No, you can’t come to our house, because what if he follows you then you’re putting us at risk as well.’”

Ms North said it was ridiculous her alleged perpetrator was given bail without electronic monitoring because he could be anywhere, while she was still in hiding.

“It’s pretty awful because, I’ll get emotional now, it’s day-by-day,” she said.

“Basically, I just don’t know what the next thing is.

“If I do have to go out to an appointment to my psychologist or a doctor or something I’m always looking around, it’s crazy and if I wasn’t living this, I wouldn’t believe it.”

Mr Rundle said the Government’s commitment to mandatory electronic monitoring for high risk violent offenders was now proving farcical, with victims and the general public being placed in vulnerable situations.

“It beggars belief that violent offenders are being allowed to roam free in rural WA because the courts are unable to use their so-called mandatory monitoring powers under the Act,” he said.

“Clearly, the Act needs amending before more innocent people get hurt.

“In the latest case, a violent offender who repeatedly breached a suspended prison sentence, protective bail conditions and violence restraining orders was allowed to roam free in Katanning, a town of more than 4000 people, which has somehow been adjudged an appropriate place for someone accused of rape to hang out between court dates?

“Even the judges are saying that there are significant issues in relation to electronic monitoring in the regions. If the Act needs fixing, fix it. If the Cook government can’t, we certainly can.”

Premier Roger Cook said in parliament, he expected that if it was not safe to release someone into the community then they should not be released.

He said in this case he was advised the accused was not subject to electronic monitoring because he was not subject to a family violence restraining order before the alleged offence took place.

“It’s the court’s responsibility to assess whether someone should be released on bail and the conditions they believe can be put in place to ensure public safety,” he said.

“Electronic monitoring is one of the many tools that can be used to monitor serial family violence offenders, in addition to conditions like daily reporting to police, home detention and so on.

“I stress again, this government has strengthened the law to mandate monitoring for serious offenders, and we continue to resource tools like electronic monitoring so judicial officers can apply them.”

Shadow Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Libby Mettam told ABC Radio Perth while GPS tracking for repeat serious family and domestic violence offenders was mandated, victims were being put at risk when offenders were released without electronic monitoring.

“This government has failed to deliver on what they have promised,” she said.

“We were told courts would be compelled to impose electronic monitoring, clearly, that is not happening.

“We were told as well that this government would tip the scale in favour of victim survivors but what we are seeing is this government put the freedom of perpetrators ahead of victims.

“Quite clearly, this is a case of the government not delivering on what they had promised, and the comments of the court judge, where he highlighted the fact that basically it’s not mandatory.”