The Criminal Code (Choking in Domestic Settings) and Another Act Amendment Bill 2020 has been referred to the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee for examination. The committee seeks submissions on the Bill by midday, Friday 17th July on the Bill’s terms of reference. The Bill aims to: strengthen the offence of choking, suffocation or strangulation in a domestic setting (non-lethal strangulation offence) as provided for in section 315A of the Criminal Code by addressing the ambiguity of the words ‘choke’, ‘suffocate’ and ‘strangle’; increase the maximum penalty for the non-lethal strangulation offence to adequately punish offenders and deter other persons from committing the same offence; recognise the seriousness of the non-lethal strangulation offence by classifying the offence as a serious violent offence. The committee will hold a public briefing on Monday, 13th July and a public hearing on Monday, 7th September. Find out more.
