By Jessica Strutt
West Australian
February 3, 2009
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=122599
The father of murdered schoolgirl Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu has accused Attorney-General Christian Porter of trying to water down a public paedophile register promised by the Liberals during the State election.
The family's priest and spokesman, Father Bryan Rosling, said they were disappointed that Mr Porter had made no effort to speak to them about the proposal since the election pledge to find out what they wanted.
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Sofia's father, Gabriel Rodriguez, said in a statement to The West Australian yesterday that the sex offender register model proposed by Mr Porter was "a waste of time".
Under the model being considered by Mr Porter, not all child sex offenders would be on the database and it would not include paedophiles' names and addresses.
Mr Rodriguez said he was dis appointed that the register was likely to involve only placing photographs of paedophiles on a website.
He said photographs alone were not enough and the register had to include details such as paedophiles' names and the suburbs where they were living.
"A bunch of photos will help no one," Mr Rodriguez said. "It is a watered down version of what has proven to be a very successful paedophile tracking device in America.
"It appears that if Mr Porter's proposal is enacted then nothing will be achieved in moving forward to better protect the most vulnerable in our society.
"In fact it will be worse because with this ineffective legislation in place, people may think that something is being done and not attempt anything better."
The topic became an election issue last September after Sofia's parents, whose daughter was murdered in a Canning Vale shopping centre toilet in 2006, issued a statement reaffirming their support for a public register.
Adults for Survivors of Child Abuse spokeswoman Michelle Stubbs said paedophiles' names and suburbs, but not specific addresses, should be on the register.
She was concerned the website was likely to include only the most serious offenders on the ANCOR system, a register of convicted paedophiles that was not available publicly but used by police to monitor offenders.
Ms Stubbs said all child sex offences were serious and all offenders should be included on the register.
Mr Porter said last night that his position had not changed since the election and he would be pleased to meet the family to hear their views on the matter.
He said the model being considered would enable community members to type in their addresses and view photographs of serious sex offenders living in close proximity but he did not think offenders' names should be published.
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