Legislation: Another Child Justice Bill heads to Parliament

A Child Justice Amendment Bill will soon be tabled in Parliament, according to an  explanatory summary gazetted yesterday, reports Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch. Referring to a draft of the Bill released in July but apparently not for comment, the summary notes that the proposed new statute seeks to further regulate: the minimum age of criminal capacity; provisions in the Act informing a decision to prosecute any child of 12 years or older but under the age of 14 years; procedures relating to proof of criminal capacity; the assessment report provided by a probation officer; factors to be considered by a prosecutor when diverting a matter before a preliminary inquiry; factors to be considered by a magistrate when diverting a matter at a preliminary inquiry; orders made at a preliminary inquiry; and factors to be considered by a judicial officer when diverting a matter in a child justice court.