Just hours after a tough new anti sex tourism law came into effect in Australia, it has claimed its first arrest.
The federal government said a convicted paedophile was arrested at Sydney Airport attempting to travel overseas.
The law requires all registered offenders to inform authorities ahead of any overseas travel and it has the right to withhold Australian and international passports.
The man’s name was on a government watch list.
Australia’s foreign minister, Julie Bishop said about 800 Australian child sex offenders travelled overseas last year and nearly 40% failed to notify the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
“Australia has up to 20,000 registered child sex offenders who have served their sentences, but are subject to reporting obligations that help protect the community,” she said.
“For too long, these predators have travelled overseas undetected, including to countries where weaker laws mean they have opportunities to commit heinous crimes.”
Southeast Asia is the supposed destination of choice for Australian sex tourists, including Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, where child protection is lax.
All these countries are well connected from Australia with low cost flights.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan described the crackdown as ‘the toughest on paedophiles in a generation’, making Australia ‘a world leader in protecting vulnerable children overseas’.
