Australia has warned child sex offenders that it will cancel their passports to prevent them from traveling to vulnerable countries such as the Philippines, Australian ambassador Amanda Gorely said.
In relaying the Australian government’s new policy, Gorely said that cancelling the passports of an estimated 20,000 child sex offenders from their country is in line with their efforts to impose tougher laws against child trafficking or sex tourism.
“Today the Coalition Government announced it will introduce tough new laws which will prevent registered child sex offenders from traveling overseas,” a release posted at the website of Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said.
There are estimated 20,000 registered child sex offenders in Australia, 800 of which were registered child sex offenders who have traveled overseas in 2016 and more than one third have left without permission.
Gorely said these child sex offenders have already served their sentences but are subject to supervision and reporting obligations due to their ongoing risk to the Philippines and other vulnerable countries.
The Australian government admitted that the existing passport legislation was not working.
Although it didn’t discuss the details, the Australian government said that with the new legislation it still impose higher standards to prevent child sex offenders from fleeing to vulnerable countries where they are out of sight and reach of Australian law.
Australia also assured the country that it will also work with States and Territory law enforcement agencies to implement the new measures to bring offenders to justice.
“We acknowledge the close and long-held interest Victorian Senator Derryn Hinch has in developing these reforms,” Bishop said.
