OUR RESPONSE
Wednesday, 6 May 2026
Yesterday the NSW Opposition lodged amendments to dilute the Minn’s Government Reforms which would see the “good character” references often put forward as a consideration when a killer is sentenced, removed.
Homicide Victims’ Support Group (Aust) Ltd (HVSG) have long lobbied for this important reform which is designed to strengthen the protection of victims and see appropriate penalties for the perpetrator.
The Opposition want this limited to sexual offences only, meaning that in the instance of a homicide, the killer would still be able to place advocates on the stand to provide testimonials of support for the killer’s “good character”. And allow the courts the discretion to consider this testimony a mitigating factor when sentencing.
Let’s be clear. Killing a person is as serious a crime as it gets.
Drs Robert and Julia Starling’s son, Laurie was murdered in 2014. Two people were convicted of a criminal enterprise and sentenced to 34 years in prison in 2017.
“My wife, his brothers and two life-long friends stood up and gave Victims Impact Statements to the Court then unbelievably, “Good Character References” were given on behalf of the offenders, one of whom had to have his “statement” dictated and read by someone else to the Court.
(It) was enough to make even the most gentle-mannered grieving people, especially his Mum, deeply upset and angry. 10 years later we are still disgusted at the Court process for allowing such obviously fictional descriptions of a pair of stalking cold blooded murderers to a) have a voice, b) be taken into consideration by the Court and c) be entered into the Public Record.
The NSW Parliament must consider the rights of victims of all violent crimes and any legislation must cover all serious crimes including murder, domestic violence, motor vehicle homicides as well as sexual offences.”
Martha Henderson’s only son Guy was murdered in 2016 in a violent attack.
“I welcome the proposal to disallow good character as a mitigating factor as put forward in the (Good Character at Sentencing) Bill 2026. It is a very positive step towards preventing further trauma and harm to people like me at the time of sentencing.
I find the proposed amendments to this bill offensive. Are the trauma, the grief and the harm I have endured for a decade meaningless because I’m a family member of a victim of homicide?
Good character becomes irrelevant when a person has committed a crime – any crime”.
Martha Jabour, CEO of HVSG said:
Homicide leaves families with a life sentence of grief. The justice system must not dilute accountability through subjective praise of the perpetrator. When courts give weight to personal endorsements they risk sidelining the voices that matter most – those of the victims.
This reform must restore the balance to where it belongs and pass unamended to include the most serious crimes of murder and manslaughter, domestic violence and vehicular homicide”.
To quote AG Michael Daley, “are (the Opposition) on the side of victims or perpetrators?”
The Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Amendment (Good Character at Sentencing) Bill 2026 must be passed with no amendments.