Dawson,74,was late last month found guilty of murdering his first wife Lynette Dawson,33,four decades after she vanished from Sydney’s northern beaches. Her body has never been found.
Main photo:Chris Dawson before the announcement of the verdict last month. Inset:Dawson with Lynette on their wedding day in 1970.Kate Geraghty
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the government’s proposed bill would mean offenders must co-operate with investigators and disclose the location of remains for any chance of release on parole.
“We will make it impossible for offenders who willfully and deliberately refuse to disclose information about their victim’s remains,to be granted parole,” Perrottet said.
“Being unable to locate a loved one’s body is extremely distressing and traumatic for the families and friends of victims,and it denies a victim the dignity of being laid to rest appropriately.
The proposed reform will mean the State Parole Authority (SPA) must not grant parole unless it concludes the offender has co-operated satisfactorily in identifying the victim’s location.
Under the reforms,the SPA must rely on written advice from the Commissioner of the NSW Police Force and other relevant information to determine whether the offender has co-operated satisfactorily to identify a victim’s location.
There are believed to be six convicted murderers in NSW prison who could be affected by the proposed legislation changes.
The move will bring NSW into line with Queensland,Western Australia,South Australia,Victoria and the Northern Territory,where offenders can be refused parole if they do not reveal the location of a victim’s remains.
A petition calling for the “no-body,no-parole” laws to be introduced in NSW was launched last week,in response to the.
Lynette’s family has issued a plea to Dawson to reveal her location,with her brother Greg Simms expressing the family’s wish to “put her to rest”,following Dawson’s conviction.
Justice Ian Harrison,who presided over the judge-alone trial told the NSW Supreme Court he was satisfied the mother-of-two died on or about January 8,1982 and “did not voluntarily abandon her home”.
He found Dawson guilty of murder and said his lies demonstrated a consciousness of guilt. He also found Dawson had “resolved to kill his wife”. Dawson will be sentenced at a later date.
The petition for “Lyn’s law” was launched by the Dawson’s former family babysitter,known as BM for legal reasons,on September 12,reaching almost 30,000 signatures in seven days.
“While justice has finally been served and Lyn’s truth has been heard there is one more puzzle left to this heart-wrenching story. Where is Lyn?” the petition reads.
“Lyn’s family have battled for years to clear her name and have her truth told,but the closure they need would come from being able to put her to rest properly,and they are not alone.”
Corrections Minister Geoff Lee said the reforms were modelled on laws in other jurisdictions and would apply to all current and future inmates in NSW to capture convicted offenders who have not yet been considered for parole.
“Any offender in prison coming up for parole should really think hard about maintaining their refusal to co-operate with police if they want to retain their prospects of getting parole,” Lee said.
With Sarah McPhee
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