Mitchell Mark: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Mitchell Mark: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 18 September 2012. Volume:684;Page:5270. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
4. 
MARK MITCHELL (National—Rodney) 
 to the  
Minister of Justice 
: What steps is the Government taking to better protect the public from imminent and serious sexual and violent offenders? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 Today I have introduced the Public Safety (Public Protection Orders) Bill. It introduces a civil detention regime to protect the public from the most serious sexual and violent offenders. Public protection orders may be imposed by the High Court at the request of the Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections for offenders who have served a prison sentence for a serious sexual or violent offence and who still have a high risk of imminent and serious sexual and violent offending. This Government is committed to delivering on its election promise to keep the public safe from the worst sexual and violent offenders. 
Mark Mitchell 
: How will the civil regime be managed? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: It is anticipated that only between five and 12 offenders over a 10-year period would meet the legal test as posing a very high risk of serious sexual or violent offending. Offenders will undergo a comprehensive risk assessment to be put before the court. The High Court will determine whether the offender meets the test for imposing an order. Individuals subject to a public protection order will be housed in a residence located within the secure perimeter of a prison and monitored by staff. Conditions within the residence will be monitored by independent inspectors and the Ombudsman. Each resident will have a management plan that will set out any restrictions that they are subject to as well as any identified needs. This detention regime is protective rather than punitive. Residents will have as many of the normal civil rights of ordinary citizens as possible without endangering the community. Public protection orders will be subject to annual review by a review panel comprising judges parole board members and psychiatrists or registered psychologists. 
Mark Mitchell 
: How do public protection orders differ from other regimes for managing offenders on release from prison? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: Extended supervision orders and preventive detention are not sufficient to protect the public from these very serious offenders. Extended supervision orders which are set when an offender is released can be made for up to 10 years for child sex offenders. They provide for an individual to be monitored and/or accompanied at all times. However their conditions must eventually be removed. Public protection orders might be made for some offenders who are already subject to— 
David Clendon 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This is question time. What we are hearing is actually a first reading speech on a bill that was tabled today—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! This is a point of order and it has some merit. Question time is not a time to invite Ministers to give first reading speeches as the member has just said. We will go on to Question No. 5.