Breaking News: 

16th June 2020: The Western Australian parliament have finally past legislation providing common sense alternatives to prison for people who cannot pay their fines! 

After months of consultation with MPs across the political parties, Community Legal WA celebrated with member organisations of Social Reinvestment WA and supporting MPs who secured this Bill's passage.

Read more in our News section  

For more than two years we have been working with a coalition of community groups and Social Reinvestment WA, to urge the State Government to implement law reform to stop people being jailed because they are unable to pay their fines.  

Western Australia is the only remaining state to imprison people in hardship for unpaid fines, not as an act of last resort.

After two years of advocacy, we welcomed Attorney-General John Quigley’s Bill to Parliament to reform the Fines Act in WA.

Our Executive Director, Sharryn Jackson chairs the Fine Default sub-committee of Social Reinvestment WA, and has worked closely with the collation of members to advocate for this law reform. After briefing Members of Parliament about our position we were delighted to see the Bill pass unopposed in the Legislative Assembly. 

We will continue to engage with Members of Parliament across all parties to advocate for this legislation to pass the Legislative Council (Upper House of Parliament) when Parliament resumes in the New Year. 

To find out more about this Campaign and the work of Social Reinvestment visit Social Reinvestment WA