AN Australian legal first that could jail offenders for three years that financially take advantage of the vulnerable elderly has drawn a mixed response from the very people in charge of prosecuting the offences.
In conjunction with the ACT Bar Association, the body that represents solicitors once called the proposed legislation both “flawed” and “defective” after also condemning the Legislative Assembly over its removal of a defendant’s right to a fair trial.
Some 12 months on since initially spelling out their grave concerns before it became law, the ACT Law Society has stood firm.
“The Law Society’s position on this legislation has not changed,” president Elizabeth Carroll said in a statement.
ACT criminalises elder abuse, introduces jail term
By Naomi Neilson|21 April 2021
Anyone found guilty of committing financial elder abuse in the ACT could now face up to three years behind bars under a suite of new laws that has also been drafted to protect older Australians from neglect, harm and abuse of vulnerable people.
With almost 15 per cent of older Australians experiencing some form of elder abuse in their formative years, the legislation should provide an important safeguard to prevent any further abuse that leads to harm or a financial benefit. It is hoped that the threat of time behind bars will deter offenders from committing the crime.
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