The following story contains discussions of child and adult sexual offences. Listener discretion is advised.
The New South Wales Labor government has introduced legislation to scrap the use of “good character” as a factor in sentencing for all crimes.
The argument is already barred in cases involving some child sexual offences under a special clause – and the government now wants that restriction expanded.
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Image: Image by Gimboid13 on Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Produced By: Mia Armitage
Featured In Story: Harrison James- Survivor & Co-founder, Your Reference Ain’t Relevant, and David Heilpern – Former New South Wales Magistrate & Dean of Law, Southern Cross University
First aired on The Wire, Monday 16 February 2026