Media Release

10th November 2005

WA congratulated on introducing

Indefinite Sentencing for Dangerous Paedophiles

Hetty Johnston, Executive Director of Bravehearts Inc, Australias leading child protection advocates, has congratulated The Hon Jim McGinty Attorney General for Western Australia on the introduction to the Western Australian Parliament of the Dangerous Sex Offenders Bill 2005.

Hetty Johnston said, Bravehearts lobbied hard for over 4 years in Queensland for the introduction of Indefinite Sentencing for pedophiles after the murder of 9 year old school girl, Keyra Steinhardt by previously convicted pedophile Leonard John Fraser on April 22, 1999.


We lobbied hard to make the law reflect the reality posed by serious child sex offenders who will remain dangerous for the rest of their lives and will always pose an unacceptable risk to our children. For serious offenders the question is always when rather than if in terms of their re-offending. Today s arrest of previously convicted, jailed and released Paedophile; Dennis Ferguson is a clear example. If convicted, Dennis Ferguson should now die in prison never to be released again.


The reality of the danger these types of offenders pose was finally met in Queensland with the introduction in Queensland of the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act on 6 June 2003.

It is very pleasing to see this now being introduced in other parts of the nation and in particular, we are happy to see it s introduction to Western Australia where Bravehearts operates a branch and counseling center.

The community is increasingly demanding their children are protected from known Paedophile with some fairly ugly grassroots revolts towards released dangerous sex offenders being played our in communities across the nation. Recent examples were in Queensland with the release of Dennis Ferguson and Victoria with the release of Mr Baldy (Brian Keith Jones). The community understand the threat they pose.

It is inexcusable that even though governments also understand the imminent danger these offenders pose to our children, the release of dangerous pedophiles continues every day across the nation with little or no meaningful and long-term monitoring, treatment and supervision.

We call on all Australian states and territories to introduce this Indefinite Sentencing for dangerous Paedophiles as a matter of national urgency, Hetty Johnston concluded.