source : the age
Good character references will no longer be considered during sentencings in West Australian courts.
The announcement is expected to be made by WA Attorney General Tony Buti this morning in the wake of Western Power standing down three employees for providing glowing character references for a colleague who was convicted of raping a woman during a work trip.
“The Cook Labor Government is committed to protecting the community, and our decision to scrap good character references at sentencing hearings ensure that victims are always put first,” he said.
“I have had meetings with advocates for victim-survivors and heard how distressing it can be when a criminal’s professional standing and community reputation are used to try to reduce their sentence.
Here’s what’s making headlines across the country and around the world today:
- Immigration rather than living costs is the top concern for Australians who have flocked to One Nation, according to research that suggests Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor must convince voters they’ve cut migration if they are to claw back support.
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog for this Tuesday, the 25th of August.
Making headlines today, fed up with inaction after his motorcycle was stolen from his property in the east Perth suburb of Stratton last week, a Perth father decided to do his own investigative work.
Three days, dozens of community tips, and several social media pressure tactics later, Saadiq Regal not only recovered his own bike – he accidentally solved a theft involving a member of parliament and brought the region’s bike theft crime wave straight to government leaders.
Meanwhile, West Australian students who come from advantaged backgrounds could be more than six years ahead of their peers when it comes to learning outcomes, new research suggests.
