Traeger MP Robbie Katter has again urged Queensland to bring in Castle Law, saying it would give homeowners stronger legal backing if they defend themselves against people who break into their homes.
His renewed push follows a violent home invasion in Tenterfield, where a 75-year-old man allegedly shot an intruder after he and his wife were critically stabbed.
Police said the woman was stabbed in the chest and her husband suffered a slash wound to the abdomen before the alleged offender withdrew to the veranda. After the couple called emergency services, the 75-year-old man allegedly shot the 34-year-old when he tried to get back inside the home.
The attack has reignited debate about what legal protections exist in Australia for people who are attacked in their own houses.
In Queensland, homeowners are allowed to defend themselves against intruders, but any force they use must be proportionate and can still be scrutinised in court.
Mr Katter told SkyNews.com.au his proposed changes would get rid of the requirement that a homeowner’s response must match the level of threat from an intruder.
“At the end of the day it’s a very simple solution. All we did was (remove the) line ‘of equal and opposite force’,” he said.
“We’re not asking government to arm citizens … we’re just asking people to have the inclination to defend themselves and have legal protections.”
Mr Katter said in many violent break-ins, people cannot depend on police to protect them in the moment and instead must act on their own.
“One of the counter arguments is police are there to protect, but police don’t help you at the front end of the incident. It’s usually up to people themselves,” he said.
He said the law change would discourage offenders and put more weight on the side of victims.
“There is a criminal element that needs to be taught a lesson: There’s going to be a bad outcome for you if you break into people’s homes,” he said.
“This is a very good tool – that would cost the taxpayer nothing – that can change the tide of criminal activity.”
Mr Katter said his party had backed the idea for years, but he believed the case for reform had become more pressing as concern about crime grew.
“We’ve known about Castle Law for the 15 years our party’s been around, but we didn’t push it because (the need) wasn’t as obvious. We needed it then but now it seems completely necessary,” he said.
“There’s no question in my mind the desire for this has increased and I really feel sorry for people who believe the government is listening and considering it but they’re not at all and they’re really confusing people.”
He also accused both Labor and the LNP of taking a hard line in their rhetoric on crime while avoiding Castle Law, saying they were leaning on other law-and-order policies to suggest they were dealing with the problem.
“We’re confident Liberal, just like Labor, are too scared to touch anything like this,” he said.
