Opposition Moves To Close Child Sex Offender Consorting Loophole
Media Release | 12 March 2026
Nick Goiran MLC
Shadow Attorney-General; Child Protection
The Liberal Party will today introduce legislation to close a dangerous loophole that
currently allows convicted child sex offenders in Western Australia to associate with
each other without police being able to intervene.
The Capturing Child Sex Offenders for Unlawful Consorting Bill 2026 will amend the
Criminal Law (Unlawful Consorting and Prohibited Insignia) Act 2021 to ensure police
can issue unlawful consorting notices to disrupt offenders associating with each other
before another child is harmed.
Under the current law, police can only issue an unlawful consorting notice if they
believe it is necessary to prevent an indictable offence. However, many child sex
offences are classified as summary offences, meaning police are currently powerless
to act even when convicted offenders are associating in circumstances that raise
serious concerns.
Shadow Attorney General Nick Goiran said the problem was highlighted in a report by
the WA Ombudsman last year, which revealed a glaring failure in the existing
legislation.
“Western Australians would be shocked to learn that 1,069 convicted child sex
offenders were assessed under the current law and not a single one met the threshold
for police to issue an unlawful consorting notice,” Mr Goiran said.
“This Bill fixes that gap and ensures police can disrupt child sex offenders networking
with each other before another crime occurs.”
The Bill extends the unlawful consorting provisions so that notices can also be issued to
disrupt conduct constituting child sex offences, not just indictable offences.
It also ensures that child sex offences committed outside Western Australia, including
overseas, can be considered when assessing whether an unlawful consorting notice
should be issued.
In addition, the legislation removes statutory defences that currently allow offenders to
argue that their consorting occurred in the course of activities connected with union
business.
Mr Goiran said the loophole arose after the Cook Labor Government arrogantly insisted
on pushing its original consorting laws through Parliament in 2021 despite Opposition
warnings that the scheme would capture fewer child sex offenders than the previous
regime.
“We warned the Government in 2021 that its law would make it easier for child sex
offenders to consort with one another,” Mr Goiran said.
“Labor had total control of Parliament and instead of listening they treated our
concerns with arrogant contempt. The Ombudsman’s report has now confirmed that
those concerns were justified.
“Child sex offenders often use social networks and associations to groom, encourage
and enable offending behaviour. The law should allow police to disrupt those networks
before another child is put at risk.”
Mr Goiran said the amendments were modest but important.
“Our Parliament should not wait for the next child sex offence to occur before we act -
this Bill gives police an extra tool they need to intervene earlier and protect children,”
he said.
Contact: Graham Mason 0419 194 792
