The West Australian opposition has pledged $100 million to stockpile GPS tracking bracelets as part of a plan to crackdown on violent offenders who breach restraining orders.
The Liberal Party has committed to securing 300 more of the bracelets if elected in 2025, with Opposition Leader Libby Mettam pointing to a "spike" in restraining order breaches.
“Under our policy, if you are a serious offender who deliberately breaches a violence restraining order and you are not sent to jail, then you will be tracked,” Ms Mettam said in a statement on Sunday.
“Breaches of family and domestic violence orders alone is up 22 per cent in the last year, yet time and time again we are seeing these violent offenders re-offending upon release, often with tragic outcomes."
The opposition accused the Labor government of an "ad hoc approach" to the issue, saying it had dropped the ball on law and order.
The extra 300 bracelets - along with associated requirements, added services and preventative community education campaigns - would cost $25m a year, or $100m over four years, the opposition said.
Opposition justice spokesman Tjorn Sibma said while the government had failed to be transparent about the results of its two-year GPS trial, tracking had led to a reduction in family and domestic violence interstate and overseas.
“While this policy is proposed for introduction in 2025, the Liberal Party knows the women and children of Western Australia cannot wait and urges the Cook Labor Government to get behind it and implement it immediately," Mr Sibma said.
The Labor government in 2019 promised a major expansion of of electronic monitoring in the justice system, with Attorney-General John Quigley saying capacity would allow for 500 people to be monitored at any given time.
The government launched a two-year $50 million trial tracking 100 high-risk offenders in 2020.
As of August this year, about 260 people in WA were fitted with ankle bracelets, The West Australian reported.
The government has reiterated the courts determine who should be fitted with tracking bracelets.
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