Plans for a new advisory council

Cherie Olsson and daughter Maddison on their driveway outside their Redbank Plains home, where an unlicensed driver last year hit Maddison and drove away.

Sarah Keayes

THE Ipswich parents of a nine-year-old girl who was almost killed by a hit-and-run driver last year have backed government plans to introduce a new sentencing advisory council.

The State Government has announced plans to introduce an advisory council, which it claims would give the community greater say in how criminals are punished.

The move comes after the strong public outcry to perceived soft sentences in Queensland courts over recent years.

Redbank Plains parents Cherie and Darren Olsson, whose nine-year-old girl Maddison was almost killed by a hit-and-run driver last year, said “it was about time” sentences were made to reflect public opinion.

The couple had their confidence in the legal system shattered after the unlicensed driver who mounted a kerb, struck their daughter and fled the scene walked away from court without serving jail time.

They believe Amosa Junior Fetalaiga, 23, should have served jail time for his crime – as did police prosecutors.

Cherie Olsson said she hoped the panel could influence the courts to hand out tougher sentences.

“The community expects criminals to be punished for their crimes, but too often you see criminals walk free with little more than a slap on the wrist,” she said.

Attorney-General Cameron Dick said the proposed advisory panel would be based on similar models in Victoria and New South Wales.

“The new body will have the opportunity to provide input into guideline judgments prepared by the Court of Appeal on the appropriate sentencing range for a particular offence,” Mr Dick said.

He said the council would consider and provide advice to government on matters relevant to criminal sentencing.