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Solicitor, child protection activist and former police prosecutor, Heather Steinberg, along with Member for Burnett Rob Messenger
have expressed surprise, but have welcomed Hetty Johnson's public comments on Channel Seven's Sunrise program regarding the
establishment of a public sex offender register.
Mr Messenger and Ms Steinberg said from her comments it appears that Hetty Johnson has now reversed her view on the
effectiveness of a system based on America's Megan's Law, where parents are given the right to know when and where dangerous
sex offenders are released.
"At the moment most parents and grandparents would be shocked to know that the Queensland government can release the
approximately 90 official dangerous sex offenders back into any Queensland community in secret," Mr Messenger said.
Mr Messenger and Ms Steinberg recently worked together and created Queensland's first draft of a law that is similar to America's
Megan's. The Law, which is in a rough draft format and has the working title of "Sex Offenders Register Bill", can be found today
at Rob Messenger's Website www.robmessenger.com or Heather Steinberg's website: (www.littleangels.org.au ).
Mr Messenger is inviting feedback and constructive criticism from the public. He and Ms Steinberg will use the information they
receive from the public to shape and prepare the final draft of the legislation that Mr Messenger will present to parliament in a
private members bill.
"I'm particularly interested in suggestions from people as to what this Bill may be called. Megan's law in America was named after
Megan Kanaka, a young girl who was raped and murdered by a known sex offender who was released by the government into her
street," Mr Messenger said.
"Perhaps this bill, with the permission of relatives, can be named in honour and memory of a Queensland victim of a dangerous
sex offender," he said.
Ms Steinberg said that on 25 October 2007, the then Police Minister Judy Spence, regarding a petition to establish a child sex
offender register, states in her response letter that "Bravehearts Incorporated, a major advocate of supporting children against sex
offenders, does not support public registers of child sex offenders".
"Bravehearts has stated that 'public registers do not protect the community and can even make sex offenders more dangerous'.
"Even on Bravehearts own website, they don't support a public register. Now she has come out in support of a public register," Ms
Steinberg said.
"I welcome her major backflip on the position and look forward to her input into the legislation," she said.
Steinberg & Messenger welcome Hetty Johnson's
backflip on a QLD Megan's Law
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