Inquiry into the provisions of the criminal code amendment (suicide related material offences) Bill 2004
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Background
On 5 August
2004, the Senate
referred the provisions of the Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related
Material Offences) Bill 2004 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation
Committee for inquiry and report by 6 September 2004.
The
Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences) Bill 2004 contained
offences which were originally introduced in the Crimes Legislation Amendment
(Telecommunications Offences and Other Measures) Bill 2004. After its
introduction into the Senate, the Commonwealth Government split the original
bill in two, and then reintroduced the two separate bills into the House of
Representatives as the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Telecommunications
Offences and Other Measures) (No. 2) 2004, and the Criminal Code Amendment
(Suicide Related Material Offences) Bill 2004 (the Bill).
The Bill proposed to insert two new offences into the Criminal Code Act 1995: the first
dealing with use of a carriage service, including the Internet, to access,
transmit or otherwise make available suicide-related material; and the second
in relation to possession, production, supplying or obtaining suicide-related
material for use through a carriage service.
Conduct of the
inquiry
The Committee advertised the inquiry in The Australian
newspaper on 11 August 2004, and invited submissions by 20 August
2004. Details of the
inquiry, the Bill and associated documents were placed on the Committee’s website. The Committee also wrote to over 50 organisations and
individuals.
The Committee received 21 submissions.
Submissions were placed on the Committee’s website. The Committee thanks those
organisations and individuals who made submissions to its inquiry.
On 31 August 2004, the
Governor-General prorogued the 40th Parliament and dissolved the
House of Representatives. Accordingly, the Committee has resolved not to
continue its inquiry into the provisions of the Bill. This decision is
consistent with the approach to inquiries during elections adopted by other
Senate Committees. If the Bill is reintroduced in
the new Parliament, the Senate can again refer it to the Committee for inquiry.
Senator
Marise Payne
Chair