Queensland murderer Gerard Baden-Clay could spend an extra 10 years in prison under significant reforms to the state’s parole system and prisoner laws announced by the Crisafulli government.
Baden-Clay murdered his wife Allison in April 2012, and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 15 years following a trial in 2014.
The 55-year-old is eligible for parole next year, but under reforms proposed by the state government, could remain behind bars for at least another decade.
Corrective Services Minister Laura Gerber said the changes – which would include expanding the state’s restricted prisoner framework to not only child killers and people convicted of multiple murders, but anyone sentenced to life imprisonment – would improve justice for victims.
“We’re expanding the definition of restricted prisoners to include all prisoners sentenced to a life offence,” Gerber said.
“That means prisoners that commit some of the most heinous crimes, the most depraved sexual acts, [and] murderers like Baden-Clay.”
Allison’s sister and chair of the Allison Baden-Clay foundation, Vanessa Fowler, welcomed the changes, revealed alongside the release of the LNP’s review of Queensland’s parole board.
“This announcement comes after many years of advocacy on behalf of families like mine,” Fowler said.
“We as family are also victims … we were also handed a life sentence when [Allison] was murdered, and we live without her, and we miss her each and every day.
“The question is, what is the value of life? And for us, we believe that 15 years doesn’t qualify as a life sentence … [it’s] very inadequate and we are very supportive of the government’s proposal.”
Danielle Carroll, the sister of murdered Gold Coast mother Kelly Wilkinson, said a 20-year minimum life sentence failed to deliver justice.
“Kelly’s perpetrator only has 15 years left to serve. He’s been given 20-years and 20 years is still not a life sentence,” Carroll said.
“Given we can now get up to an extra 10 years today behind bars, that time isn’t just time. It allows safety for me and my family, and it means that Kelly’s children don’t have to continually fight to keep him there.”
Gerber said the government’s review of Queensland’s parole board, released on Monday, found the need for improved decision-making and stronger engagement with victims in the parole process, with 31 of 46 recommendations supported outright or in principle.
This includes that victim submissions must be considered by the parole board during all stages of a parole application, and that victims must be notified when parole is granted, with improvements to the way the board shares information with victims.
The reforms would also allow parole board decisions to be published, if they are in the public’s interest.
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