BAIL (ARSON) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 30 April 2009. Page 2517.)

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (10:33): I wish to make a brief contribution. Within the general scope of arson, I recently made a submission to the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, suggesting—and I have done the same here to the relevant minister—that where someone has a conviction for arson, they be required to stay in their house on an extreme bushfire day or be confined to a geographical area. It might be, say, within a township so that they do not go on to do further damage to the community.

As we know, we have had the very successful Operation Nomad, but I believe that ties up something like 40 police to operate that program in trying to keep an eye on would-be arsonists or those who are going to commit further arson. So, I put the suggestion that people with a conviction for arson be confined to their house and required to stay in their house on an extreme bushfire day or, as part of that, be confined to a township or an area where they are not likely to cause harm by lighting fires.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mrs Geraghty.