No register for sex offenders

Megan Kanka, whose rape and death led to the creation of Megan’s Law in the United States.

THE State Government has rejected calls for a publicly-available register of sex offenders similar to Megan's Law in the United States.

It was approved in 1994 after the rape and murder of New Jersey seven-year-old Megan Kanka by a sex offender who lived across the street.

It meant the creation of a database of sex offenders and community notification of registered sex offenders moving into a neighbourhood.

Children's advocate Heather Steinberg wants people to sign a petition which supports the establishment of a public register of sex offenders.

An ideal example of the need for it, she said, was the impending release of known offender Robert Fardon.

Ms Steinberg said dangerous sex offenders should have their details put on a public register.

“We should increase the protection of children through knowledge of who the offender is, where they live and what they look like,” she said.

But Corrective Services Minister Neil Roberts said the government had “opposed this type of register for some time and continues to do so”.

“Corrective Services does targeted disclosure on a case by case basis,” Mr Roberts said. “There are a lot of reasons why the government opposes public registers, including vigilantism and the risk of mistaken identity.

“Equally of concern is evidence I've seen that says these sorts of registers drive people underground. That defeats the purpose of registers.”