Name child sex offenders - agencies

Anne Tolley

Agencies working with abused children are calling on the government to open for public scrutiny the child sex offender register which is expected to be in place by mid next year.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley announced a Bill would be introduced in Parliament to enable the establishment of New Zealand's first child sex offender register.

The Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Register) Bill would allow police and Corrections to establish the register for convicted child sex offenders aged 18 or over at the time of their offence.

These offenders would be those who are convicted and sentenced to prison, who receive a non-custodial sentence and are directed to be registered by the sentencing judge, who are convicted of an equivalent offence and sentenced overseas, or who have been on an overseas register if they intend to reside in New Zealand.

The register is intended to provide information to a dedicated unit of staff, which will identify and manage the risk posed by convicted child sex offenders who have come to the end of their sentences, or are serving non-custodial sentences.

Based on the scale of offending, offenders would stay on the register for a term of life, 15 years or eight years.

The register would not be open to the public, but in some cases where this is a significant threat to the safety of children, information may be released to a third party such as the parent, guardian or a teacher or caregiver responsible for a child.

Sensible Sentencing Trust Northland co-ordinator Steve Detlaff says the establishment of such a register was a step in the right direction.

"Our focus is to keep the average public safe and anything that forewarns them of impending danger in their neighbourhood is welcomed. There are repeat offenders in many cases," he said.

"But perhaps in future, the register could be amended and made available to the public. I don't think from a public safety point of view, the register will be useful in its current format."

Te Waka Whaanui, an organisation that works with victims of sexual abuse, wants names of serial offenders made public.

Director Charles Hohaia said the new legislation must benefit victims of sexual abuse rather than be used to cover cracks in terms of how agencies responded to calls for help.

"I am not sure how broad the new register should go but its focus should be to target serious offenders because there's evidence their target is children."

Te Waka Whaanui counselled some boys who were sexually abused by former Pamapuria school teacher James Parker who is serving preventive detention on more than 70 sexual abuse charges involving 20 victims.

The register is scheduled to be in place by July 2016.