📜 Criminal Code Amendment (COVID-19 Response) Bill 2020
This Bill amends the Criminal Code to introduce higher maximum penalties for serious assault and threats against public officers and frontline workers in a COVID-19 context. These increased penalties apply for 12 months.
Impact
Frontline workers (police, nurses, etc.) are affected, as the bill aims to deter assaults involving COVID-19 claims. Offenders face harsher penalties. The public may feel safer knowing there are stronger deterrents.
Key Changes
Parliamentary Progress
- LA IntroducedLA31 Mar 2020
- LC Second Reading MovedLC31 Mar 2020
- LA Second Reading MovedLA31 Mar 2020
- LA Second Reading AgreedLA31 Mar 2020
- LA Third ReadingLA31 Mar 2020
- LC Second Reading AgreedLC1 Apr 2020
- LC Third ReadingLC1 Apr 2020
- Royal Assent3 Apr 2020
Penalty Provisions2 found
Offence where offender knows they have COVID-19 or creates a belief, suspicion or fear that they have COVID-19 at the commission of an offence.
“to imprisonment for 10 years if — (i) at the commission of the offence the offender knows that the offender has COVID-19; or (ii) at or immediately before or immediately after the commission of the offence the offender makes a statement or does any other act that creates a belief, suspicion or fear that the offender has COVID-19;”
Threat to injure, endanger or harm a person referred to in section 318(1)(d) to (k) by exposing the person to COVID-19.
“where the threat is to injure, endanger or harm a person referred to in section 318(1)(d) to (k) by exposing the person to COVID-19, to imprisonment for 7 years;”
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