Kids should be in school yards, not prisons.
Back in 2020, we moved a motion in the Legislative Assembly which committed the Government to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility. Our intention for this reform is to keep our community safe by supporting people earlier with the challenges they face, before they engage in harmful behaviour.
Yesterday Shane Rattenbury MLA and Emma Davidson MLA – Member for Murrumbidgee released a paper saying that the ACT will raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14. There follows extensive consultation with stakeholders, the wider community, families, victims of crime and the young people themselves. This has led us to where we are now – in a position to draft the legislation and implement social support system changes that set young people on better life trajectories and create a safer Canberra.
#kidsmatter #RaiseTheAge
