May 30, 2024
At least two murderers and 26 sex offenders released from immigration detention as part of the NZYQ High Court ruling are not wearing ankle monitors, as Australian Border Force officials revealed more than $300,000 has been spent on income support for the freed detainees.
A further $1.1m has been spent on the government's hand-picked community protection board, which provides expert advice on the conditions placed on freed detainees but has been criticised by Labor for its call to remove restrictions on a detainee who went on to assault an elderly couple during a violent home invasion.
Of the 153 detainees released following the November High Court decision, seven have previously been convicted of murder or attempted murder.
ABF officials confirmed in Senate estimates that "less than five" of that cohort were wearing electronic ankle monitors.
Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson lashed the removal of restrictions on some of the most "high risk" of the former detainees.
"Allowing former murderers into the community without electronic monitoring . there needs to be justification for that," Senator Paterson said at Senate estimates on Wednesday.
Of 39 sex offenders released under the NZYQ decision, only 13 were wearing ankle bracelets and 12 were subject to curfews, while Continued on Page 4
Murderers and sex criminals roam free without monitoring Continued from Page 1 28 of the 73 detainees convicted of assault were being electronically monitored.
"How are so many people being released from their obligations?" Senator Paterson demanded.
"This has got to be one of the most lax community safety regimes ever put in place, when such a high proportion of serious violent offenders are not subject to restrictions within the community." As of April 30, there were 60 released detainees residing in NSW, 43 in Victoria, 22 in Queensland and 20 in Western Australia, while fewer than 10 resided in South Australia and fewer than five in the ACT.
ABF commissioner Michael Outram defended the decision to remove restrictions from some detainees, declaring there was a "big difference between some murders and other murders" and "each case revolves on its own merits".
"While on its face you can look at a case and criminal conviction and assume they are all the same, behind each is a lot of information . medical information, offending information, police information . that decision-makers use to form the best judgment," he said.
"Electronic monitoring and curfews are important tools the government have given us, but they are not the panacea." Some 25 of the NZYQ charged with a crime were subject to a curfew at the time of the offence, and 26 were wearing ankle monitors.
Ten of the NZYQ cohort were currently in custody, senators heard.
ABF officials also revealed that 29 of the cohort had been charged with a state or territory offence since their release, including 16 being charged with offences in December, nine in January, 22 in March and 12 in April. Fewer than five were charged in November and February, with the figures capturing multiple offences committed by an individual.
The crimes committed included 19 incidents of theft, 11 counts of assault, seven counts of breach of bail conditions and five incidents of breach of child protection order.
There were also fewer than five incidents each of blackmail, kidnapping, threat to kill, act of indecency, resisting arrest, breach of domestic violence order, breach of police order, breach of state-based reporting requirements, drug driving, driving unlicensed and drug possession.
