Outgoing WA Attorney-General John Quigley focused on passing tough laws before March 2025

Outgoing WA Attorney-General John Quigley plans to leave his mark with tougher penalties for criminals as he enters his last year of politics. In an exclusive interview with PerthNow following Monday’s announcement to step down from politics, Mr Quigley said he was focused on proposing mandatory sentencing for the removal of ankle bracelets and doubling penalties for assaults on retail workers. “How am I feeling? Getting my teeth into it. This is not a victory lap, this year is the bell lap,” he said. “This is the year you’ve got to pedal harder through the election year. I’m committed.” Mr Quigley revealed he was preparing to reintroduce imprisonment for repeat shoplifting and had advanced legislation for outlawing “nazi insignia and nazi salutes” as well as a new Evidence Act for domestic violence cases. “There’s a person who went and took a bottle of liquor and they get fined and then say, ‘well I don’t care because I’ll just get another fine I don’t pay’,” he said. “I’m also looking to get out a whole new Evidence Act, which might be a bit boring for the public, but it’s got good provisions in there that will help in the prosecution of domestic violence. “It’s a big Act, the last Evidence Act is dated 1906, it needs serious updating and it will allow for vision taken by police officers’ body-worn camera to be introduced into evidence for the first time where women are under subsequent threat not to take action.” These changes fall in line with some of Mr Quigley’s well-known legislation. Punchy lines such as “one vote, one value” voting and “no body, no parole” were just two of the stand-out laws he introduced. “Lifting the statute of limitations so the victims of child sexual abuse could sue their perpetrators,” he said. “Bikie legislation making this jurisdiction the toughest jurisdiction in Australia for bikies is another.” Those were just some from a long list of significant law changes which Mr Quigley said was impossible to pick his favourites from. The legislation passed as WA’s Attorney-General were simultaneous with his position as the MLA for Butler, two roles which he described as “vastly different”. “Being the Attorney-General carries a big weight of responsibility to deliver for the people of Western Australia, to write laws and pass laws and oversee the courts,” he said. “Being the Member for Butler however, is just a pleasure interacting with people who come in with their local problems. “It’s very satisfying and fulfilling to be able to help them solve some of their day-to-day issues.” At the local level, Mr Quigley said he was looking forward to working with the City of Wanneroo on the $65 million Alkimos Aquatic and Recreation Centre to “get under way and get under way properly”, along with district playing fields to be developed in Eglinton and the construction of a coastal road connecting the Alkimos and Eglinton suburbs. “We’ve got to get the new road built behind the desalination plant,” he said. “I’m pressing the city to get on with the new road into the new area which will ultimately house a new surf club, this is not going to happen tomorrow but, unless I put my foot on the pedal it will be years from happening and my main focus is now on community infrastructure.” While Mr Quigley’s 24-year political run is set to end in March next year, he said he had no plans of slowing down. “Some people say I’m a workaholic,” he said. “I hope there’s something next, I do find meaning for life in my work so I hope there’s something else but, I haven’t thought that far ahead because I know that I’ve got a pretty heavy year representing the people of Butler and the Government in the Parliament. “I think that’s the first responsibility and we just see what happens, but I don’t want to give up.”