Supporting a consistent, contemporary and accountable judicial system is a priority under our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future.

A re-elected majority Liberal Government will, within 100 days of re-election, work with the judiciary and legal profession to introduce legislation to establish an independent judicial oversight body.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Guy Barnett, said this body would deal with complaints against judicial officers and promote high standards of judicial performance.

“As with other professions, it is important that we have a contemporary mechanism to deal with judicial complaints."

Attorney-General Barnett said the Tasmanian Liberal Government is also committed to strengthening criminal justice responses to child sexual offenders to ensure the community is protected from sexual predators.

“A re-elected majority Liberal Government will introduce legislation to mandate that all child sexual offenders are assessed for the risk that they pose to the community and the need for monitoring through a High Risk Offender order at the time of sentencing.

“This will ensure that sex offenders are appropriately supervised and monitored, and that our community is safe from those who would prey on our children and young people.

“We also know that serious assault or bodily harm to our first responders and frontline workers is entirely unacceptable.

“The Liberal Government is committed to protecting our hardworking frontline workers, including nurses. We have attempted to bring minimum mandatory sentences for assault on frontline workers to the Parliament on two occasions (in 2016 and 2019). Despite having a mandate at each election for this policy, Labor and the Greens opposed the legislation.”

Attorney-General Barnett said a re-elected majority Liberal Government will, within 100 days of re-election, introduce legislation to provide for presumptive sentencing for assaults on frontline workers.

The Tasmanian Liberal Government has committed $86.5 million to deliver the Burnie Courts Complex to improve justice in the North-West and additionally, we will establish a Justice Precinct around the complex to improve justice services for victims, witnesses and court users. This will include our new consolidated Victims Services which will assist victims engaging in the justice system state-wide.

The Precinct will have specifically designed spaces for the legal services, including the Director of Public Prosecutions and Tasmania Legal Aid, and also spaces for victim-survivors designed to minimise trauma.

A re-elected majority Liberal Government will commit $1.2 million to expand the Just Healthy Families Program.

The Program has successfully brought lawyers and access to legal advice into healthcare settings, to make it easier for people experiencing family violence to access justice and legal services at the places where they regularly visit.

As part of our Strong Plan to support a Stronger Tasmanian Justice System, a re-elected majority Liberal Government will:

• Establishing an independent mechanism to manage judicial complaints;
• Mandating high risk offender order assessments for all child sexual offenders under the Dangerous Criminal and High Risk Offenders Act 2021;
• Introducing a presumption of mandatory minimum sentencing to protect first responders and frontline workers, including nurses, paramedics, correctional workers, hospitality and transport workers;
• Supporting further measures to reduce court backlogs and improving access to justice;
• Provide $1.2 million to expand the Just Healthy Families Program for easier access to legal advice for those affected by family violence;
• Introducing a new crime of impersonating a ride-share driver to protect Tasmanians from sexual predators, and
• Establish a Justice Precinct around the new Burnie Courts Complex, including the new Victims Service.