Paul Goldsmith: Justice Minister on the changes to name suppression laws for those convicted of sexual crimes

Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith says people who are convicted of sexual crimes getting name suppression is “a massive issue”. 

“Particularly for the victims, they can’t talk about what’s happened to them and they can’t warn others," Goldsmith told Mike Hosking. 

“We’ve decided you only get permanent name suppression if you’re a convicted sex offender if the victim agrees. And if the victim doesn’t agree? Well, tough luck, you’re not going to get it and you should own up to your crimes. 

“That’s the current law, that the views of the victim are taken into account. Sometimes it doesn’t get very far and the person who has been convicted continues to have their name suppressed forever. I just fundamentally disagree with that. 

“Our focus in government is to reduce the number of victims of violent and sexual offending.” 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We have this morning two major changes potentially to name
suppression laws. The first would waive the right to permanent
name suppression for convicted adult defenders. Second would ensure all
survivors of sexual crimes are granted automatic suppression. Now, the
Justice Minicin's in charge of this and Paul Goldsmith's with us.
Good morning, Good morning mate. Are there gaps in the law?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well, look, the primary issue is that you have people
who are convicted of sexual crimes rape and have been
convicted and they can still get permanent name suppression. And
that's a massive issue, particularly for the victims. They can't
really talk about what happened to them, they can't warn others.
And so we look, you only get permanent name suppression

(00:42):
if you're a convicted sex offender, if the victim agrees,
and if the victim doesn't agree, we'll tough luck. You're
not going to get it, and you should own up
for your crimes.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
When we talk about the views of the victim taken
into account, how real versus how sympathetic is that?

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Well, that's the current law that the that the views
of the victim are taken into account, and you know, frankly,
sometimes it doesn't get very far, and the person who
has been convicted is guilty of these sexual crimes, remains,
continues to have their name suppressed forever, and they have huge,
long court battles over it. It retraumatizes the victims in that process,

(01:20):
and you know, I just a fundamentally don't agree with
that because you can't how do you warn other victims?
And our focus in government, of course, is to reduce
the number of victims of violent and sexual offending. And
the best place to start, of course, is to deal
with the people who are doing it most often, such
as gang members and all those sorts of things. But
also when you've been a convicted sex offender, well there's

(01:42):
a real risk that you continue and do that elsewhere.
And so they've got they've got to own up to
their crimes so that the community knows who they're dealing with.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
You've got the numbers, obviously, So this is a fight
to complete. What's the timeline on it.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Well, there's a current piece of legislation which had been
going through the House, and I'm making an amendment to that.
We'll introduce that. We'll send it off to a slick
muddy for a short period and then pass it pretty quickly.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Appreciate your time. Paul Goldsmith, the Justice Minister

Speaker 2 (02:07):
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