AMENDMENTS to the Crime Act for child sex offenders will allow ACT Police to apply for court orders to stop registered sex offenders from being close to schools and child care centres.

The amendments to the Crime (Child Sex Offenders) Act, 2005, expected to be introduced later this year or early next year, will see the establishment of a prohibition order scheme that will give the chief police officer the ability to apply to the ACT Magistrates Court to restrict the movements of a registered child sex offender from going within a certain distance of a place frequented by children, such as a school or child care facility.

The change comes after the Government accepted recommendations made in June, 2010 by the former ACT Ombudsman. The reccommendations were to strengthen laws surrounding the protection of children from sex offenders.

Attorney General Simon Corbell said the Ombudsman’s report found “the legislation in its current form may not be achieving its aim of reducing the likelihood of offenders reoffending and recommended consideration of amendments to the Act to enable police to take action when they identify a child at risk.”

The ACT Government will also propose an increase from two years to five years for registrated offenders who breach their prohibition order or fail to comply with reporting obligations.

“The Government will also propose the inclusion of a new offence where a registrable offender does not notify the Chief Police Officer prior to filing an application to change their name under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Act 1997,” Mr Corbell said.

“This amendment will support the current law that allows the chief police officer to share information with the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.”

NSW, NT, Queensland and WA have also passed legislation to prohibit offenders engaging in certain conduct similar to the proposed laws for the ACT.