Penny Wright (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I want to indicate that the Australian Greens will not be supporting this amendment, which aims to raise the maximum penalty for the particular offence to 20 years imprisonment. This would make this penalty much higher and inconsistent with analogous offences under other Commonwealth or state laws—for instance, under the New South Wales Crimes Act threatening violence with a firearm has a maximum penalty of 10 years; stealing a firearm has a maximum penalty of 14 years. There is no evidence at this stage before the Australian Greens or from the Attorney-General's Department or others that the existing maximum is insufficient to achieve the outcome that is desired. If the maximum penalty does need revision, then it is a strong maxim of the Australian Greens that that should be done carefully, based on a more holistic review and not just doubling the penalty because it seems like a good idea.