The Tasmanian Government is keeping Tasmanians safe with a range of important progressing through Parliament this week.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Corrections and Rehabilitation, Guy Barnett, said the passage of the Bills demonstrated the Government’s commitment to delivering practical reforms that protect the community and strengthen Tasmania’s justice system.
“We are taking strong action to keep Tasmanians safe, with important reforms progressing through Parliament,” the Attorney-General said.
The Sentencing Amendment (Good Character) Bill 2026 was passed by the House of Assembly this week, following continued advocacy from victim-survivors and campaign groups, including the Your Reference Ain’t Relevant campaign.
The legislation will prevent a good character reference from being used to mitigate a sentence for an adult offender convicted of a serious offence and will also apply when a court is determining whether to record a conviction.
The Sentencing Amendment (Publication of Criminal Activity) Bill 2026 also passed the House of Assembly, delivering on our election commitment to crack down on offenders who boast about their crimes online or social media.
The legislation will introduce a new aggravating factor for courts to consider when sentencing offenders who publish material that boasts about or glorifies their criminal activity online.
Parliament also continued debate on the Commission of Inquiry (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2026 in the House of Assembly, and the Integrity Commission (Mandatory Notifications) Bill in the Legislative Council, reinforcing the Government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well being of children and young people.
“Community safety must remain at the heart of our justice system, and these reforms ensure that appropriate consideration is given to a person’s character where the law requires it,” the Attorney-General said.
“We have a significant program of law reform protecting Tasmanians being progressed, including three bills which are now being drafted to implement important Family Violence reforms and image-based abuse laws.
“These reforms are about strengthening our laws, protecting Tasmanians and maintaining confidence in our institutions.
“Through our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, we are delivering the important reform that improve the operation of Tasmania’s justice system and keep our community safe.”
