A Members Bill has been placed in Parliament's ballot requiring the Department of Corrections to notify schools of sex offenders in their local communities, Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey has today announced.
"Recently, after two sex offenders were housed in Waimakariri, I was appalled to learn that there is no requirement for the Department of Corrections to inform local schools," Mr Doocey said in a statement.
The bill would ensure "all schools within five kilometres, or the nearest school if there are none within the five kilometre area, will be notified of the placement of a sex offender."
It would also require the Department of Corrections to "notify local schools 48 hours before the release of a sex offender into a community, or within 72 hours of housing the sex offender in a new residential address."
"I accept that some sex offenders will need to be managed in the community, but as a parent it's outrageous that local schools are not informed of a sex offender's placement in their community," he said.
Mr Doocey has also created a petition to call on the Department of Corrections to inform schools when sex offenders are placed in their communities.
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