Premier demands tougher penalties for children who accidently started bushfire
Premier demands tougher penalties for children who accidentlystarted bushfire
4 October 2007
published by http://livenews.com.au
New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma is demanding tougher penalties for two eleven-year-olds who started a bushfire at Wentworth Falls.
The boys had lit a fire as they tried to light their cigarettes.
The fire burnt out about half an acre of bushland, but no homes were ever under threat.
Mr Iemma wants police to review their decision not to charge them.
“I understand they’re still being dealth with under the Young Offenders Act,” he said.
“Police who apprehended them have brought them in, they are being dealth with under that act. But I’m happy to have that reviewed because this is just a very dangerous situation.”
Initial media reports suggested that the boys had used a Molotov cocktail to start the blaze, but this has now been proven incorrect.
