The Minns Labor Government welcomes the decision of the Liberals and Nationals to listen to victim-survivors and abandon their opposition to NSW’s nation-leading ‘good character’ reforms.

The Liberals and Nationals have announced they will back the Government’s changes to remove ‘good character’ as a mitigating factor for all offences when the legislation returns to the Legislative Assembly today.

After the Government passed legislation to prevent good character evidence from being presented at sentence proceedings for convicted sex offenders, this reform extends that protection to all offences including homicide, domestic violence and serious road crimes.

The backdown came after the Liberals and Nationals chose to kick the can down the road by sending these critical reforms to a NSW Parliamentary committee inquiry.

They then voted with the Greens to water down the Bill and retain ‘good character’ as a mitigating factor on sentence for everything except sexual offences, with courts allowed discretion to give it no weight.

This would have meant that convicted murderers, domestic abusers and dangerous drivers who kill people could still argue they should get a lesser sentence because of their ‘good character’.

It took the Government refusing to give up on this reform and reintroducing the legislation for the Coalition to drop its opposition to the reform, which was supported by full public consultation and recommended by the independent Sentencing Council.

The Government thanks Your Reference Ain’t Relevant co-founders Harrison James and Jarad Grice, Martha Jabour from the Homicide Victims Support Group and Duncan Wakes-Miller from the Road Trauma Support Group for their tireless advocacy on this reform.

The Sentencing Council recommended ‘good character’ be removed as a mitigating factor for all offences, not just sexual offences, because it was vague, not equally available to all offenders and exacerbated trauma for victim-survivors.

The new legislation will now proceed to the Legislative Council, and we are urging the upper house to pass it without delay.

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“This outcome is a win for all victim-survivors of crime who fought incredibly hard for this reform, particularly Your Reference Ain’t Relevant co-founders Harrison James and Jarad Grice.

“The Government is pleased the Opposition is finally backing this commonsense reform. But we’re disappointed they had to be dragged kicking and screaming to protect victim-survivors of crime.

“While it’s a case of ‘better late than never’, I’m still baffled by the Coalition’s initial opposition to this change, particularly given they’ve now abandoned that position.

“This important reform will now go to the Legislative Council, which should pass the bill immediately. Victim-survivors and their families should not be forced to wait any longer for change.”