Issues · Crime and justice

Tougher crime laws

Votes on whether to make criminal laws tougher and give police more powers.

Votes on bail, bikie gangs, drug laws, knife searches, the age of criminal responsibility and similar laws.

Each MLA

One square per vote, oldest first. A Aye, N No (not yet checked), no recorded vote.

• Andrew Barr · Kurrajong
  LaborANAye 1, No 1 · no record on 4
• Caitlin Tough · Brindabella
  LaborNAAANNAye 3, No 3
• Chris Steel · Murrumbidgee
  LaborNAAANAye 3, No 2 · no record on 1
• Marisa Paterson · Murrumbidgee
  LaborNAAANAye 3, No 2 · no record on 1
• Michael Pettersson · Yerrabi
  LaborNAAANNAye 3, No 3
• Rachel Stephen-Smith · Kurrajong
  LaborNAAANNAye 3, No 3
• Suzanne Orr · Yerrabi
  LaborNAAANNAye 3, No 3
• Taimus Werner-Gibbings · Brindabella
  LaborNAAANNAye 3, No 3
• Tara Cheyne · Ginninderra
  LaborNAAANAye 3, No 2 · no record on 1
• Yvette Berry · Ginninderra
  LaborNANNAye 1, No 3 · no record on 2
• Andrew Braddock · Yerrabi
  ACT GreensNAAANNAye 3, No 3
• Jo Clay · Ginninderra
  ACT GreensNAAANNAye 3, No 3
• Laura Nuttall · Brindabella
  ACT GreensNAAANNAye 3, No 3
• Rebecca Vassarotti · Kurrajong
  ACT GreensNo recorded vote on these
• Chiaka Barry · Ginninderra
  Canberra LiberalsANNNAAye 2, No 3 · no record on 1
• Deborah Morris · Brindabella
  Canberra LiberalsANNNAAAye 3, No 3
• Ed Cocks · Murrumbidgee
  Canberra LiberalsANNNAAye 2, No 3 · no record on 1
• Elizabeth Lee · Kurrajong
  Canberra LiberalsAAye 1, No 0 · no record on 5
• James Milligan · Yerrabi
  Canberra LiberalsANNNAAAye 3, No 3
• Jeremy Hanson · Murrumbidgee
  Canberra LiberalsANNAAAye 3, No 2 · no record on 1
• Leanne Castley · Yerrabi
  Canberra LiberalsANNNAAye 2, No 3 · no record on 1
• Mark Parton · Brindabella
  Canberra LiberalsANNNAAAye 3, No 3
• Peter Cain · Ginninderra
  Canberra LiberalsANNNAAAye 3, No 3
• Fiona Carrick · Murrumbidgee
  IndependentNAAANNAye 3, No 3
• Thomas Emerson · Kurrajong
  IndependentNAAANNAye 3, No 3

The votes

1. 1. 6 March 2025 · Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Amendment Bill 2025Amendment. A vote on changing the wording of a motion or bill. Voting against a change can mean "not like this", not opposition to the idea.Review in progress

   Liberal changes to a bill on child sex offenders that would have stopped convicted offenders from working in legal services that deal with children. They were voted down. (our summary; the question as recorded is below)

   Question as recorded: That Ms Morris’s amendments Nos 1 and 2 be agreed to. Question resolved in the negative.

   Voting Aye would count as for this issue (review in progress). The changes would have added a new restriction on convicted child sex offenders.

   Ayes 8, Noes 15. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 490 ·

2. 2. 19 March 2025 · Justice—bail law reformAmendment. A vote on changing the wording of a motion or bill. Voting against a change can mean "not like this", not opposition to the idea.Review in progress

   The government's changes to a Liberal motion calling for tougher bail laws. The changes replaced those calls with the government's own approach, including diversion programs. They passed. (our summary; the question as recorded is below)

   Question as recorded: That Ms Cheyne’s amendments, as amended, be agreed to. Question resolved in the affirmative.

   Voting No would count as for this issue (review in progress). The changes removed the calls for tougher bail laws.

   Ayes 15, Noes 8. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 762 ·

3. 3. 9 April 2025 · Crime—anti-consorting lawsAmendment. A vote on changing the wording of a motion or bill. Voting against a change can mean "not like this", not opposition to the idea.Review in progress

   The government's change to a Liberal motion on bikie gangs. It removed a call to bring in anti-consorting laws, which stop known gang members meeting. It passed. (our summary; the question as recorded is below)

   Question as recorded: That the amendment be agreed to. Question resolved in the affirmative.

   Voting No would count as for this issue (review in progress). The change removed the call for anti-consorting laws.

   Ayes 15, Noes 8. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 1067 ·

4. 4. 9 April 2025 · Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill 2025Bill: agreed in principle. The vote on whether a bill should go ahead at all, before its details are considered.Review in progress

   The bill to raise the age at which children can be charged with a crime to 14. It passed its first stage. (our summary; the question as recorded is below)

   Question as recorded: That this bill be agreed to in principle. Question resolved in the affirmative.

   Voting No would count as for this issue (review in progress). Raising the age means fewer children can be charged, the opposite of a tougher law.

   Ayes 14, Noes 7. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 1093 ·

5. 5. 21 October 2025 · Drugs of dependence—recriminalisationQuestion not printed. Hansard records the division but not the exact question, so its stage can't be shown.Review in progress

   A Liberal motion calling on the government to undo the 2023 decriminalisation of small amounts of hard drugs. It was voted down. (Hansard does not print the exact question.) (our summary; the question as recorded is below)

   Question as recorded: (The question put is not printed in Hansard.) Question resolved in the negative.

   Voting Aye would count as for this issue (review in progress). It called for drug possession to be a crime again.

   Ayes 6, Noes 13. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 3262 ·

6. 6. 5 May 2026 · Knife crime—police powersFinal vote on a motion. The deciding vote on a motion, as worded at the time.Review in progress

   A Liberal motion asking for police to be able to use handheld metal detectors to find knives in nightlife areas. It was voted down. (our summary; the question as recorded is below)

   Question as recorded: That the motion be agreed to. Question resolved in the negative.

   Voting Aye would count as for this issue (review in progress). It called for new police search powers.

   Ayes 8, Noes 15. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 1464 ·

Other Assembly decisions on crime and justice

42 decisions on this topic since November 2024, newest first. Most were decided on the voices, without a recorded vote. Grouped into this topic by key words, so a few may belong elsewhere.

• 21 October 2026Crimes (anti-consorting) amendment bill 2026Moved by Mark Parton · Bill debated; its final outcome isn't captured here yet
• 21 October 2026Domestic and family violence sector: System mappingMoved by Chiaka Barry · Passed on the voices, no names recorded · 2 changes agreed first
• 20 October 2026Sentencing law reformMoved by Chiaka Barry · Passed on the voices (names were recorded only on a change or part of it) · 1 change agreed first
• 24 September 2026Domestic violence agencies amendment bill 2026Moved by Caitlin Tough · Bill debated; its final outcome isn't captured here yet
• 22 September 2026Molonglo valley community safety improvementMoved by Ed Cocks and Deborah Morris (co-sponsored) · Passed on the voices (names were recorded only on a change or part of it) · 2 changes agreed first

See all 42 on the Decisions page →