Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

The safety of the community is the government's highest priority at all times, including when making parole decisions. In relation to cases such as, I think, the one that the member referred to, there is a very high threshold that must be met before a person can be granted parole. The decision is informed by advice from relevant agencies and the safety of the community is the most important consideration in these decisions. Parole keeps the community safer. It means mandatory controls and mandatory supervision are in place which would otherwise not be available at the conclusion of someone's sentence. And the opposition knows that these decisions are informed by a range of expert assessments about an offender. They also know that individuals on parole are subject to strict supervision conditions which are informed by the advice of law enforcement and corrective services agencies. At all times, parolees are under the close supervision of state—

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