A recently retired Queensland District Court judge has been tasked with heading-up the first review of the state’s six-year-old serious and organised crime laws.
Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman this afternoon announced that former Brisbane Judge Julie Dick SC would conduct the first review of the Serious and Organised Crime Legislation Amendment Act 2016.
Ms Fentiman said the legislation required key elements of the serious and organised crime regime be reviewed as soon as practicable five years after the provisions commenced.
Almost 50 years after starting her stellar career, Ms Dick officially stepped down as a judge of the District Court on 22 June this year.
Judge Dick retired after more than two decades of judicial service, beginning as a District Court judge in 2000, a stint as Childrens Court of Queensland President (2007-2010) and an Acting Supreme Court judge (2011-12).
Ms Fentiman, in a statement, said: “Combined with her extensive practice in criminal law at the Bar and her role as the inaugural Parliamentary Criminal Justice Commissioner (now known as the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee), former Judge Dick could not be more highly experienced to undertake this important review.
“In 2016… the government introduced a new serious and organised crime regime underpinned by the Serious and Organised Crime Legislation Amendment Act 2016.
“This included laws designed to target criminal organisations that engage in serious crimes, including trafficking dangerous drugs, unlawfully supplying weapons, possessing child exploitation material and fraud.
“In addition, the Act included consorting laws that disrupt association between recognised offenders that facilitate and enable serious and organised criminal activity.”
Under the terms of reference, Ms Dick has been asked to consider the effectiveness of consorting provisions in the Queensland Criminal Code and Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000, as well as whether the serious and organised crime circumstance of aggravation in the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 and relevant provisions of the Peace and Good Behaviour Act are meeting their objectives.
Ms Dick is due to deliver her report to the Attorney-General by 31 January 2023.
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