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SENTENCING AMENMENT (ASSAULTS ON FRONTLINE WORKERS) BILL 2016 BILL 63 OF 2016

                                       FACT SHEET

           Sentencing Amendment (Assaults on Frontline Workers) Bill 2016

The Sentencing Amendment (Assaults on Frontline Workers) Bill 2016 (the Bill) amends the
Sentencing Act 1997 (the Act) to provide for mandatory minimum sentences of six months’
imprisonment for offences that result in serious bodily harm to frontline workers.

Section 16A of the Act already provides for mandatory minimum sentences of imprisonment
for offences resulting in serious bodily harm to Police Officers.

The Bill extends the existing provisions in section 16A to cover other frontline workers besides
Police Officers, including:

      Ambulance Officers

      Child Safety Officers

      Correctional Service Officers

      Nurses and Midwives

Mandatory minimum sentences of imprisonment under section 16A only apply where an
offence has resulted in serious bodily harm. This will mean that the mandatory sentence will not
apply when the victim suffers less serious bodily harms.

Section 16A will also not apply where a Court finds that there are exceptional circumstances.
This means that if exceptional circumstances exist, Courts will not be required to impose the
six month mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment.
 
 

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