Parole Breaches

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:38): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking questions of the Attorney-General regarding parole breaches in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: Anne-Marie Culleton was murdered by Jonathan Peter Bakewell in 1998 in the Northern Territory. Bakewell was sentenced to life imprisonment for his crime, which was reduced to 20 years by the High Court when he was transferred to the South Australian prison system in 2005. Last month, Bakewell was released despite six prior parole breaches, with the SA Parole Board chair stating that, as the man is believed to pose no risk to the community due to his health issues, the board has to comply with legislation.

The victim's sister, Eileen Culleton, I think not surprisingly, took a different view and has called on the Attorney-General to appeal the decision to release Bakewell, stating and I quote:

Women and girls in the community will not be safe if Bakewell is released… How dare the Parole Board put the community at risk once again. This is a disgrace. And how dare the Parole Board put our family through this trauma yet again—it's just cruel.

A government spokesperson has been quoted in The Advertiser as saying that the government would seek advice regarding the Parole Board's determination in this particular matter. As some weeks have passed, my questions to the Attorney-General are:

1. Has the Attorney now sought that advice concerning this particular case and, if so, what specific advice has been provided?

2. Does the Attorney-General share Eileen Culleton's concerns for the safety of the community following Bakewell's release and his very poor history of parole breaches?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:39): I thank the member for his question. I haven't spoken to her in recent months but certainly over the past couple of years I have had the benefit of speaking to Eileen Culleton, and Ms Culleton is certainly a passionate advocate. I think all of us would have a huge amount of sympathy with what her family has been through—just horrific circumstances.

In relation to breaches of parole, as the honourable member has outlined, the safety of the community is a major factor that the Parole Board takes into account. In relation to an individual person's breaches of parole and whether that warrants the Parole Board making the application to have the person put back into custody, I think the Parole Board is better placed than probably either the Hon. Dennis Hood or I to make those decisions, having all the information in front of them.

It's one reason that, over a number of decades, Frances Nelson KC has been the head of the Parole Board. I think she has made what are very difficult decisions, often in circumstances that are very emotional and deeply and traumatically affect families, based on the principles that are required before legislation. I have a tremendous amount of sympathy, and it's hard not to have that sympathy with Ms Culleton and the situation in relation to this matter, but I think the Parole Board is the one best placed to make those decisions.