The Tasmanian Government is seeking feedback on a proposed Bill which seeks to modernise Tasmania's bail laws.
The Bail Bill 2024 incorporates all of the current bail laws into a single statute which will improve transparency, providing a clear statutory framework for deciding when, or if, bail should be granted, and how that bail should be managed.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Guy Barnett, said clear, cohesive and contemporary legislation is a key objective of the 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future.
"We recognise that Tasmania's bail laws can be complex, in part due to the fact that the bail laws are spread across the common law and various pieces of legislation," the Attorney-General said.
"Other Australian jurisdictions have moved to provide clear statutory frameworks for what a court should consider when granting bail.
"The Bail Bill 2024 released for consultation today will adopt this approach in Tasmania and assist in making the law more accessible to the general community.
"The Bill also ensures that the safety of victims of crime, individuals and the community is taken into account when making decisions about the granting of bail.
"I thank all those who made a submission on the draft Bail Bill in 2021. This invaluable, substantial feedback has informed the version of the Bill now out for consultation."
Specifically the Bill addresses the following matters:
The draft Bail Bill 2024, supporting information and details of how to provide feedback are all available on the Department of Justice website – https://www.justice.tas.gov.au/community-consultation.
Submissions close at midnight on 2 February 2025.
