Former Magistrate On Bail Law Reform

The state government this week announced changes to BAIL LAWS, in an effort to reduce the large numbers of people who are refused bail, while waiting for a trial. More than a quarter of adult prisoners in NSW have not been convicted. The Attorney General Greg Smith has put forward a new “case by case” system, designed to ease the burden on prisons and give those charged a fairer deal. But he declined to follow the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission which suggested a general presumption in favour of bail. Legal observers say it’s a step in the right direction but may not be enough. MAX TAYLOR is a retired magistrate and the convenor of the Bail Reform Alliance – and he spoke with 2SER’s Mark Robinson.