Interpretation under review6 recorded votes

Tougher crime laws

Votes on whether to make criminal laws tougher and give police more powers.

Votes on bail, bikie gangs, drug laws, knife searches, the age of criminal responsibility and similar laws.

Interpretation under review. The votes and names below are exactly as recorded in Hansard. Which votes belong under this issue, and which side counts as “for”, was drafted with AI help and hasn’t been checked by a person yet, so we show each MLA’s Aye or No rather than a pattern.

What this can’t tell you

Most decisions in the Assembly are made on the voices, with no names recorded. Only recorded votes appear here.
Many of these votes are on changes to someone else’s motion. Voting against a change can mean “not like this” or “not funded yet”, not opposition to the idea. Each vote shows its stage.
“No recorded vote” can mean the MLA wasn’t a member yet, or didn’t vote. It never means they abstained.

Each MLA

One square per vote, oldest first. A Aye, N No (under review), no recorded vote.

Andrew Barr · Kurrajong
LaborANAye 1, No 1 · no record on 4
Caitlin Tough · Brindabella
LaborNAAANNAye 3, No 3
Chris Steel · Murrumbidgee
LaborNAAANAye 3, No 2 · no record on 1
Marisa Paterson · Murrumbidgee
LaborNAAANAye 3, No 2 · no record on 1
Michael Pettersson · Yerrabi
LaborNAAANNAye 3, No 3
Rachel Stephen-Smith · Kurrajong
LaborNAAANNAye 3, No 3
Suzanne Orr · Yerrabi
LaborNAAANNAye 3, No 3
Taimus Werner-Gibbings · Brindabella
LaborNAAANNAye 3, No 3
Tara Cheyne · Ginninderra
LaborNAAANAye 3, No 2 · no record on 1
Yvette Berry · Ginninderra
LaborNANNAye 1, No 3 · no record on 2
Andrew Braddock · Yerrabi
ACT GreensNAAANNAye 3, No 3
Jo Clay · Ginninderra
ACT GreensNAAANNAye 3, No 3
Laura Nuttall · Brindabella
ACT GreensNAAANNAye 3, No 3
Rebecca Vassarotti · Kurrajong
ACT GreensNo recorded vote on these
Chiaka Barry · Ginninderra
Canberra LiberalsANNNAAye 2, No 3 · no record on 1
Deborah Morris · Brindabella
Canberra LiberalsANNNAAAye 3, No 3
Ed Cocks · Murrumbidgee
Canberra LiberalsANNNAAye 2, No 3 · no record on 1
Elizabeth Lee · Kurrajong
Canberra LiberalsAAye 1, No 0 · no record on 5
James Milligan · Yerrabi
Canberra LiberalsANNNAAAye 3, No 3
Jeremy Hanson · Murrumbidgee
Canberra LiberalsANNAAAye 3, No 2 · no record on 1
Leanne Castley · Yerrabi
Canberra LiberalsANNNAAye 2, No 3 · no record on 1
Mark Parton · Brindabella
Canberra LiberalsANNNAAAye 3, No 3
Peter Cain · Ginninderra
Canberra LiberalsANNNAAAye 3, No 3
Fiona Carrick · Murrumbidgee
Fiona Carrick IndependentNAAANNAye 3, No 3
Thomas Emerson · Kurrajong
Thomas Emerson IndependentNAAANNAye 3, No 3

The votes

1. 6 March 2025 · Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Amendment Bill 2025Amendment. A vote on changing the wording of a motion or bill. Voting against a change can mean "not like this", not opposition to the idea.Interpretation under review
Liberal changes to a bill on child sex offenders that would have stopped convicted offenders from working in legal services that deal with children. They were voted down. (plain-English summary, AI draft not yet checked)
Question as recorded: That Ms Morris’s amendments Nos 1 and 2 be agreed to. Question resolved in the negative.
Voting Aye would count as for this issue (proposed, not yet checked). The changes would have added a new restriction on convicted child sex offenders.
Ayes 8, Noes 15. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 490 · Not yet checked
2. 19 March 2025 · Justice—bail law reformAmendment. A vote on changing the wording of a motion or bill. Voting against a change can mean "not like this", not opposition to the idea.Interpretation under review
The government's changes to a Liberal motion calling for tougher bail laws. The changes replaced those calls with the government's own approach, including diversion programs. They passed. (plain-English summary, AI draft not yet checked)
Question as recorded: That Ms Cheyne’s amendments, as amended, be agreed to. Question resolved in the affirmative.
Voting No would count as for this issue (proposed, not yet checked). The changes removed the calls for tougher bail laws.
Ayes 15, Noes 8. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 762 · Not yet checked
3. 9 April 2025 · Crime—anti-consorting lawsAmendment. A vote on changing the wording of a motion or bill. Voting against a change can mean "not like this", not opposition to the idea.Interpretation under review
The government's change to a Liberal motion on bikie gangs. It removed a call to bring in anti-consorting laws, which stop known gang members meeting. It passed. (plain-English summary, AI draft not yet checked)
Question as recorded: That the amendment be agreed to. Question resolved in the affirmative.
Voting No would count as for this issue (proposed, not yet checked). The change removed the call for anti-consorting laws.
Ayes 15, Noes 8. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 1067 · Not yet checked
4. 9 April 2025 · Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill 2025Bill: agreed in principle. The vote on whether a bill should go ahead at all, before its details are considered.Interpretation under review
The bill to raise the age at which children can be charged with a crime to 14. It passed its first stage. (plain-English summary, AI draft not yet checked)
Question as recorded: That this bill be agreed to in principle. Question resolved in the affirmative.
Voting No would count as for this issue (proposed, not yet checked). Raising the age means fewer children can be charged, the opposite of a tougher law.
Ayes 14, Noes 7. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 1093 · Not yet checked
5. 21 October 2025 · Drugs of dependence—recriminalisationQuestion not printed. Hansard records the division but not the exact question, so its stage can't be shown.Interpretation under review
A Liberal motion calling on the government to undo the 2023 decriminalisation of small amounts of hard drugs. It was voted down. (Hansard does not print the exact question.) (plain-English summary, AI draft not yet checked)
Question as recorded: (The question put is not printed in Hansard.) Question resolved in the negative.
Voting Aye would count as for this issue (proposed, not yet checked). It called for drug possession to be a crime again.
Ayes 6, Noes 13. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 3262 · Not yet checked
6. 5 May 2026 · Knife crime—police powersFinal vote on a motion. The deciding vote on a motion, as worded at the time.Interpretation under review
A Liberal motion asking for police to be able to use handheld metal detectors to find knives in nightlife areas. It was voted down. (plain-English summary, AI draft not yet checked)
Question as recorded: That the motion be agreed to. Question resolved in the negative.
Voting Aye would count as for this issue (proposed, not yet checked). It called for new police search powers.
Ayes 8, Noes 15. Who voted each way · Official record, p. 1464 · Not yet checked

What Canberrans said about crime and justice

19%picked “Enhancing community safety” as one of their top three priorities for the ACT Government

40%of everyone surveyed agreed enough is currently being done about it

What they most wanted

Increase investment in police resources and community policing82%
Enhance safety in public spaces and facilities59%
Focus on early intervention and prevention services55%

From the 2025 Community Priorities Survey (ACT Government, YourSay Panel, summary report, april 2026), carried out 21 October to 4 November 2025: 1,801 people answered. An opt-in panel of Canberrans aged 18 and over, with extra young people recruited through a second panel, weighted by age, gender and region to match the 2021 Census. “What they most wanted” is out of the 355 people who picked this area; each could choose up to three. This shows what people told one survey. It isn’t a vote, and it doesn’t say how any MLA should vote.

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