NSW will strengthen its “No body, no parole” laws to make sure offenders who refuse to provide information or assistance to locate their victim’s remains will not be granted parole.
Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the new legislation will be introduced into parliament this week, ensuring that the State Parole Authority cannot grant parole to a convicted killer unless they find the offender has assisted satisfactorily in identifying the victim’s location.
These latest changes to the legislation will match those of laws in Queensland, WA, SA, Victoria and the Northern Territory, where offenders can be denied parole if they refuse to disclose the location of their victims’ remains.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Perrottet said the new laws will “make it impossible for offenders who wilfully and deliberately refuse to disclose information about their victims’ remains to be granted parole.”
“Being unable to locate a loved one’s body is extremely distressing and traumatic for the families and friends of victims and it denies a victim the dignity of being laid to rest appropriately,” he said.
“These laws are to stop inmates convicted of murder or homicide offences from getting parole unless they co-operate with police to end the torment of families and return to them the remains of their loved ones.”
The State Parole Authority will assess a range of relevant information alongside written advice from the Commissioner of NSW Police Force to establish whether the offender has assisted the police satisfactorily to identify a victim’s whereabouts.
According to NSW Corrections Minister, Geoff Lee, the new laws were based on legislation from other statutes and is applicable to both current and future inmates yet to be considered for parole.
“Any offender in prison coming up for parole should really think hard about maintaining their refusal to co-operate with police if they want to retain their prospects of getting parole,” Lee said.
Dubbed “Lyn’s law”, the legislation has gained traction after former Sydney teacher Chris Dawson was convicted last month of murdering his wife Lynette, who disappeared from their northern beaches home in January 1982 and whose body has never been found.
Beverley McNally began a petition last month, lobbying for the reform — which has gained more than 30,000 signatures.
McNally was a student at Chris Dawson’s school, and was hired as the babysitter to the couple’s two children before his affair with 16-year-old Joanne Curtis started.