CORRECTIONAL SERVICES (MISCELLANEOUS) AMENDMENT BILL

Final Stages

The Legislative Council agreed to the bill with the amendments indicated by the following schedule, to which amendments the Legislative Council desires the concurrence of the House of Assembly:

No. 1. Clause 14, page 6, line 21 [clause 14(2), inserted subsection (4)(b)]—After 'suspected' insert:

on reasonable grounds

No. 2. Clause 22, page 10, line 32 [clause 22, inserted section 35A(3)(a)]—Delete 'who represents the prisoner' and substitute:

acting in his or her professional capacity

No. 3. Clause 40, page 15, lines 6 and 7 [clause 40, inserted paragraph (aa)]—Delete '(the prisoner having been released on parole following application by the prisoner to the Board)'

No. 4. Clause 40, page 15, after line 7—After its present contents (now to be designated as subclause (1)) insert:

(2) Section 66(2)—after paragraph (ac) insert:

(ad) a prisoner who has been returned to prison under section 74 for breach of a parole condition; or

No. 5. Clause 41, page 15, after line 13—After subclause (2) insert:

(3) Section 67—after subsection (7) insert:

(7a) The Governor must, not more than 30 days after refusing to order that a prisoner be released from prison on parole, notify the prisoner in writing of—

(a) the refusal; and

(b) the reasons for the refusal; and

(c) any matters that might assist the prisoner in making any further application for parole.

(7b) Despite subsection (7a)(b) and (c), the Governor is not required to disclose to the prisoner any reason or matter if any such disclosure is likely to give rise to a significant risk to public safety.

No. 6. Clause 49, page 19, line 1 to page 20, line 5 [clause 49, inserted sections 76A and 76B]—Delete sections 76A and 76B and substitute:

76A—Apprehension etc of parolees on application of CE or police officer

(1) If the CE or a police officer suspects on reasonable grounds that a person who has been released on parole may have breached a condition of parole, the CE or police officer may apply to—

(a) the presiding member or deputy presiding member of the Board; or

(b) if, after making reasonable efforts to contact the presiding member and deputy presiding member, neither is available—to a magistrate,

for the issue of a warrant for the arrest of the person.

(2) A warrant issued under this section authorises the detention of the person in custody pending appearance before the Board.

(3) A magistrate must, on application under this section, issue a warrant for the arrest of a person or for the arrest and return to prison of a person (as the case may require) unless it is apparent, on the face of the application, that no reasonable grounds exist for the issue of the warrant.

(4) If a warrant is issued by a magistrate under this section—

(a) the CE or police officer (as the case requires) must, within 1 working day of the warrant being issued, provide the Board with a written report on the matter; and

(b) the warrant will expire at the end of the period of 2 working days after the day on which the report is provided to the Board; and

(c) the presiding member or deputy presiding member of the Board must consider the report within 2 working days after receipt and—

(i) issue a fresh warrant for the continued detention of the person pending appearance before the Board; or

(ii) cancel the warrant, order that the person be released from custody and, if appearance before the Board is required, issue a summons for the person to appear before the Board.

(5) If a warrant expires under subsection (4)(b) or a fresh warrant is not issued under subsection (4)(c)(i), the person must be released from detention.

(6) The Board may, if it thinks there is good reason to do so, by order, cancel a warrant issued under this section that has not been executed.