WESTERN Australia now has the toughest home invasion and burglary penalties in the nation, after new laws were passed by State Parliament on Tuesday night.
Premier Colin Barnett said the laws, which delivered on a Liberal election commitment, would also tighten mandatory sentencing for serial home burglars and home invaders.
"These tough new laws are about the victims of home burglary and home invasions,” Mr Barnett said.
“They ensure that the people who break into homes and terrorise and attack innocent people get the punishment they deserve.
"The Liberal National Government promised West Australians that we would be tough on crime and we have delivered on that commitment today."
Attorney General Michael Mischin said the legislation mandated minimum jail terms of 75 per cent of the maximum sentence for an adult offender who committed serious physical or sexual assault during a home burglary.
This would mean:
- an offender who breaks into a house and rapes someone will face a minimum of 15 years jail;
- an offender who breaks into a house and physically assaults someone causing serious harm will face a minimum of seven years, six months jail; and
- an offender who breaks into a house and indecently assaults someone will face a minimum of five years, three months jail.
Police Minister Liza Harvey said the three strike rules would also be tightened to stop offenders bundling all their offences together as one strike.
"Under the new laws, if an offender has committed three burglaries on three days that is three strikes and they're going to jail," Mrs Harvey said.
"We know that the majority of home invasions are committed by prolific offenders.
“To get these offenders off the streets and into a prison cell will help burglary rates decrease."
A spokesman for opposition leader Mark McGowan said Labor voted for the new laws.
The laws are set to come into force in November.
