Officer is suspended from duty after being charged with child sex offences
- Officer, 42, based in Tasmania's north west, has been suspended from duty
- Charged with maintaining sexual relationship with a young person from 1996-98
- Offence said to more than 20 years ago, before the policeman joined the force
A policeman has been charged with historical child offences from more than 20 years ago.
The officer, 42, based in Tasmania's north west, has been suspended from duty.
On Friday he was charged with one count of maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person from 1996 until 1998 before he joined the police force.
The development comes as Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton looks for support to launch a national public register of convicted child sex offenders.
The registry would make details such as a person's name, age, location and photograph available to the public.
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Representatives from the federal government have begun to consult with state and territory governments, in addition with law enforcement agencies, as their support is essential for the proposal to be rubber stamped.
Mr Dutton said a national registry would 'ensure that parents are not in the dark' about whether a registered sex offender has access to their children.
'The abuse and exploitation of children is a global epidemic,' he said.
'It is becoming more prevalent, more organised and more extreme.'
Law enforcement agencies currently have access to a national database of sex offenders, but it is not accessible to the public.
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