Page 3326 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 19 October 2022
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introduced next year to reflect this proposal. To be crystal clear: our intent is to enact both of those changes in one bill, with a staggered starting date.
This will continue the ACT’s proud commitment to moving on this very important issue and doing our part to bring us up to the standards that so many contemporary nations have already set. We have committed to this staged approach to ensure that the service system is able to appropriately respond to the new cohorts. The existing service system is able to cater to the very small numbers of 10- and 11-year-olds who are currently involved in the criminal justice system. Raising the age to 14 after a further approximately two years will ensure that the service system can respond and cater for the 12- and 13-year-old cohort.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Minister for Families and Community Services and the Assistant Minister for Families and Community Services for their ongoing work and support in raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility and, in particular, developing the new service system. This is an imperative aspect to underpin the success of raising the age. The new service system will ensure that we have the right supports in place to address the needs and behaviour of children and young people.
Raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility is a critical and important reform that the government is pursuing. This petition demonstrates the significant ongoing support in our community for raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility. I would like to thank those Canberrans who signed the petition, as well as the many other individuals and organisations who are helping the government and community to work together to make this reform a reality. I look forward to updating this Assembly and all Canberrans on the progress of this reform when the government has further details to share with the community.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH (Kurrajong—Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Families and Community Services and Minister for Health) (3.22): I seek leave to also make a comment on this out-of-order petition.
Leave granted.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I know that sometimes in the community this discussion about raising the age is all about keeping children out of detention, and that makes sense; no-one wants to see children behind bars. Indeed, it is interesting to note that Tasmania has indicated that it will remove detention as an option for most young people under the age of 14 but does not intend to raise the age of criminal responsibility.
However, stakeholders like Ms Griffiths-Cook and Mr Barker and all of those actively engaged in the Raise the Age Alliance understand both the broader challenges and the complexity of addressing these, and I thank them for their engagement in this work, as well as for their public advocacy for this important reform. I also take the opportunity, as Minister Rattenbury did, to thank Minister Rattenbury and Minister Davidson for the way that we have all worked together in this complex area.
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