By Derryn Hinch
Attorney General Rob Hulls challenged on-air by Hinch, July 7
3AW Drive with the latest legal advice on the issue, July 7
Name Them and Shame Them - sign petition
Several thousand protesters massed at the Parliament House steps on Sunday to demand the Victorian Government pass a law that prevents serial rapists and child sex offenders from being released incognito back in the community.
The Name Them and Shame Them rally stemmed from my campaign on 3AW and on the Internet protesting against what I believe is the misuse of new Extended Supervision Orders.
Notorious repeat offenders have used the laws to request suppression orders that forbid publication of their names, photos and even the names of accomplices. And our courts have been granting those requests—putting the criminals' "rehabilitation" ahead of community safety. They have been giving protection and privileges to pedophiles and rapists that are not afforded to convicted murderers.
At Sunday's rally, attended by victims, victims’ parents, grandparents and just concerned citizens, there were demands for the introduction, in Australia, of a Megan’s Law, similar to national legislation in the United States where any citizen can punch in a post code and find out the names, photos, addresses, crimes and time served of sex offenders.
For me, Sunday was a case of ‘ sweet and sour’. Sweet – because so many concerned and angry and frustrated parents came out in the fog to add their support. Sour – because they shouldn’t have had to do it. Our political leaders should be leading the campaign.
A law banning the suppression of these degenerates’ identities is just common sense. The community deserves no less.
Some moving memories from Sunday: Moving through the crowd, talking to tearful victims, young and old, many who have never seen a skerrick of justice.
And listening to a brave woman, Shirley Irwin --whose two daughters were raped and murdered by a violent serial rapist, whose past crimes and identity were hidden from the community when he moved in next door.
She said, “Enough is Enough".
I thought of a time, 35 years ago, when another man stood on the steps of the Parliament in another city and shouted ‘Maintain the Rage’.
I repeated those words Sunday. And our rage will be maintained until this law is changed.