04 July 2008 11:58
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd believes people should know when a pedophile moves into their community. This comes after convicted pedophile Dennis Ferguson was forced to move from a rural property in southwest Queenslend after residents complained.
"My general view is that the community has a right to know", Mr Rudd said.
"I believe that this is a most sensitive, difficult area and these are sensitive, difficult decisions to be made by the authorities.
"But I think as a general principle the community does have a right to know."
Ferguson was released from custody on Tuesday night after a District Curt Judge dismissed charges against him, partly because Ferguson's high profile would preclude him from receiving a fair trial on new charges, where Ferguson is accused of sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl at her home in November 2005. Attorney-General Kerry Shine has launched an appeal against the decision.
Source: theaustralian.news.com.au