Offenders to go back on sex list

The Government made an urgent, retrospective law change yesterday afternoon to make sure hundreds of sex offenders are put back on the national register.

Amendments to the Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) Act 2016 were to be introduced yesterday.

This follows a Supreme Court decision last month that found the act was not clear enough about people who committed an offence before the act came into force in 2016, and were convicted and sentenced after October 14 that year.

The court found the act did not cover that group of offenders, so police have had to remove ‘‘hundreds of individuals’’ from the Child Sex Offender Register.

The law change will mean the act applies to all individuals who have committed a qualifying child sex offence, regardless of when the offence occurred.

Police Minister Poto Williams said it was ‘‘essential for the wellbeing and safety of children and their wha¯nau’’.

‘‘We are taking urgent action for the safety of our tamariki.

‘‘The longer these offenders are off the register, the less ability police have to monitor them.

‘‘The whole purpose of the act was to establish a Child Sex Offender Register that would reduce sexual reoffending against child victims,’’ she said, ‘‘and reduce the risk posed by serious child sex offenders, through monitoring of registered offenders’’.

The amendment would also ensure that any individuals sentenced for a qualifying offence after the Supreme Court decision could be placed on the register, either by confirming their eligibility or enabling review of any decision not to register.

It would also mean police could register individuals convicted of historical child sex abuse, particularly important in the context of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, Williams said.