A petition calling for Castle Law has been launched in New South Wales as fed-up Aussies across the country demand the right to defend their homes from violent criminals.
The NSW petition, launched by Moree Plains councillor Kelly James and Libertarian MP John Ruddick, is just 7,000 signatures away from being tabled in state parliament, and closes on October 30.
A similar petition calling for the same law in Queensland has been signed by 99,000 residents and closes on October 24, while another in crime-ravaged Victoria has more than 18,000 signatures and runs until November 3.
The NSW petition emphasises rampant crime in regional areas, and asks parliament to pass Castle Law legislation that would give residents “the right to defend their property with whatever force is deemed appropriate”.
Ms James told 7NEWS.com.au that the laws would make a huge difference in regional NSW, where her town of Moree consistently records some of the highest crime rates in the state, adding that anyone who breaks into a home with a machete is “not coming to wash your dishes”.
“There’s a break and enter or a stolen car every night … it’s pathetic,” she said.
“In a sudden home invasion, if somebody suddenly comes into your home it might be impossible for you to retreat or hide. It could be dangerous for you to do that and Castle Law recognises that immediate defensive action can be the only realistic option.
“What force do you think should be used to get rid of that person out of your home? Why should they be in fear in their own homes because intruders seem to have more rights than what the victims do?”
Mr Ruddick said the legislation would “result in a reduction in crime” and wouldn’t allow homeowners to use excess force.
“The wording we’re using in the bill is ‘reasonable force to stop an intruder’,” he said.
“So reasonable force would not then include murdering the person, unless of course they try to murder you. Most of the time that will not be the case, so we definitely want to have a cap on what you can do to protect yourself. We don’t want random murders.”
Late last month NSW One Nation candidate Stuart Bonds joined calls for changes to self-defence laws after his farm was robbed.
“My family were home at the time. Crime in this country is out of control. We need ‘Castle Law’ in place to defend our property,” he said.
“If you break into someone’s home, they should have the right to do what they need to to defend their property and their families. It’s sad that people who have worked their entire lives aren’t safe in their own homes.”
Queensland’s petition was launched by Katter’s Australian Party deputy leader Nick Dametto, and reads: “The current self-defence laws are inadequate and force victims to second-guess their actions when faced with a split-second, life-threatening situation. Good laws should be in place to protect good people.
“Introducing Castle Law in Queensland would give victims the right to use whatever force necessary to protect themselves, others within the premises and their property if faced with an intruder(s). Castle Law (or the Castle Doctrine) is a principle grounded in the fundamental right to self-defence.
“A Queenslander’s home is their castle.”
The petition for Victoria, where crime hit record-high levels last month with a 21.7% increase in home invasions, states that clearer self-defence laws are needed, and calls for a UK-style approach.
“In the United Kingdom, there are special provisions for self-defence in a person’s home, where people only contravene the law if their actions are considered grossly disproportionate,” the petition reads.
“This recognises that people have more at stake in defending their own home than they would in public. Australian law does not recognise this distinction.”
Header image: Left, teenagers breaking into a home in Moree, NSW (A Current Affair). Right, teenage home invaders in Brisbane (Queensland Police).
