Tasmanian criminals will spend more time behind bars after the government closed a parole loophole.
Outdated laws meant criminals who committed more offences while out on parole were handed new non-parole periods that could expire before they were sentenced for their fresh crimes.
In some cases, they could have served out their new non-parole period before being sentenced - a quirk Attorney-General Elise Archer said was out of line with community expectations.
Laws to close the loophole passed the in Legislative Council on Tuesday.
“This important legislation closes a loophole that potentially allows people who offend while on parole to start serving a new non-parole period before they even committed the crime,” Ms Archer said in a statement.
“Our legislation will ensure non-parole periods begin after a sentence is handed down, as they should, and as the community would expect."
The previous laws meant new non-parole periods were calculated to begin at the end of a non-parole period for a criminal's earlier sentence.
The reform would make sure a non-parole period meant exactly that, the government said.
The legislation, the Corrections Amendment Bill 2022, responds to a decision of the Supreme Court of Tasmania.
