Two North East women determined to change the law to prevent more deaths at the hands of sex offenders are ready to take their demands to Melbourne.
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Wangaratta’s Tania Maxwell and Wodonga’s Carol Roadknight led about 1000 people on a march in their own area to launch their “Enough is Enough” campaign six months ago.
In a few weeks, they will share the same message on the steps of Parliament House.
“We’ve been attending a few meetings with government ministers and commissioners and shadow ministers and commissioners,” Ms Roadknight said.
“They know exactly what we’re asking for.
“The rally is to send a message loud and clear as a community.”
The catalyst for the campaign were the deaths of 11-year-old Zoe Buttigieg in Wangaratta in October 2015 and Ms Roadknight’s friend Karen Chetcuti in Whorouly in January.
The Victorian Government has been left with a clear message: communities want protection from these tragedies happening again.
Shadow Police Minister Edward O'Donohue, Shadow Attorney General John Pesutto and Ovens Valley MLA Tim McCurdy will appear at the rally.
Newly elected Senator Derryn Hinch will also be a key speaker.
The Enough is Enough campaign supported his Justice Party in the election and one policy both groups are fighting for: a public sex offender register.
Senator Hinch raised the issue in his maiden speech to Parliament.
“You have a right to know who is living next door to your family,” he said.
“Very senior police have told me that the current state registers and whether your name even goes on there, and at the discretion of a judge or magistrate, are unworkable, unenforceable.”
Ms Roadknight said she has challenged senior government officials to explain how the public is protected from sex offenders when the men are allowed to live in isolated rural communities, without police stations, with case workers only available during business hours.
“There’s still some areas we need to improve on, we’re challenging them with facts,” she said.
A bus is being organised to take people in the Albury-Wodonga and Wangaratta areas to the Melbourne rally, held at 11am on October 23.
Ms Roadknight said she hopes many of the 1000 people who attended the Wangaratta rally would head along.
Anyone interested can contact the women via their ENOUGHISENOUGH Facebook page, where more information will be posted closer to the date.
