16-05-2025
'It's very disturbing': grieving families slam report into serious road crimes
Grieving families, including the family of Warners Bay teen Bryson Dimovski, have slammed a review into serious road crime offences.
The long-awaited Law Reform Commission review report was delivered this week.
The Road Trauma Support Group, which represents the family and friends of those killed from acts of negligent and dangerous driving, hoped the review would be a catalyst for legislative changes needed to make the roads safer.
Instead, Road Trauma Support Group chairman Tom Daher said the 186-page report was a major disappointment and missed opportunity for reform.
Among the suggestions that failed to win support was the group's push for standard non-parole periods to be applied to road crimes that result in death. The group had argued this was appropriate given that standard non-parole periods apply to other crimes that result in death.
The commission rejected a suggestion that victim impact panels be mandatory for repeat offenders as a condition of sentence.
It also rejected a call for intensive correction orders to be removed as a sentencing option for serious road crimes resulting in death.
"This review will achieve absolutely nothing. There are some changes but they amount to shifting the deck chairs on the Titanic," Mr Daher said.
"This was an opportunity to bring in legislation that would be effective. We know the system is broken; we only need to look at the road toll.
"We made lots of recommendations, and our recommendations come from experience, from going through the justice system. To be told in the review that the current legislation is well understood and fit for purpose is totally incorrect."
The parents of 14-year-old Bryson Dimovski, who was killed in a hit-and-run incident at Warners Bay on July 28, 2023, were equally dismayed by the report.
"It's very disturbing," Andrew Dimovski said.
Mr Dimovski pointed to two recent Hunter court cases to highlight the disparity in sentences for general crimes and road crimes.
"When a guy who killed a chook at Bobs Farm got a higher sentence than a guy who killed his mate when he crashed his car because he was drunk and was speeding, you know there is something wrong with the road laws," he said.
Twenty-two-year-old Jaycob Issac Gemza was driving the car that struck Bryson Dimovski on the shoulder of Macquarie Road, 800 metres north of the Medcalf Street intersection, at Warners Bay.
He has pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing death, and not guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death - driving in a dangerous manner, and a backup count of negligent driving occasioning death.
He is due to face trial later this year.
Attorney General Michael Daley said in a statement that the government would carefully consider the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission review, including the creation of dangerous driving occasioning actual bodily harm offences.
"The review considered the views of the community, and the need for any law reform to be based on evidence, established principles and fit within the broader criminal law framework," he said.
"It determined the range of criminal offences and associated penalties that can apply when a driver seriously injures or causes the death of another person, including manslaughter, to be appropriate.
He acknowledged that many families do not feel justice has been done at the conclusion of a court process.
"Road crime inflicts immense pain and trauma on communities, and no criminal penalty can ever make up for the death of a loved one," he said.
"The government is always looking at ways to improve support for victims and their families and will consider evidence-backed proposals to ensure road crime is dealt with appropriately."
Mr Daher said the group would continue to push for reforms that would save lives.
"The Road Trauma Support group keeps moving forward because every person that uses our roads, whether they are pedestrians, passengers or a motorist, can be a victim of road trauma," he said.
"It's in everybody's interest that legislation is changed and legislation is effective."
Grieving families, including the family of Warners Bay teen Bryson Dimovski, have slammed a review into serious road crime offences.
The long-awaited Law Reform Commission review report was delivered this week.
The Road Trauma Support Group, which represents the family and friends of those killed from acts of negligent and dangerous driving, hoped the review would be a catalyst for legislative changes needed to make the roads safer.
Instead, Road Trauma Support Group chairman Tom Daher said the 186-page report was a major disappointment and missed opportunity for reform.
Among the suggestions that failed to win support was the group's push for standard non-parole periods to be applied to road crimes that result in death. The group had argued this was appropriate given that standard non-parole periods apply to other crimes that result in death.
The commission rejected a suggestion that victim impact panels be mandatory for repeat offenders as a condition of sentence.
It also rejected a call for intensive correction orders to be removed as a sentencing option for serious road crimes resulting in death.
"This review will achieve absolutely nothing. There are some changes but they amount to shifting the deck chairs on the Titanic," Mr Daher said.
"This was an opportunity to bring in legislation that would be effective. We know the system is broken; we only need to look at the road toll.
"We made lots of recommendations, and our recommendations come from experience, from going through the justice system. To be told in the review that the current legislation is well understood and fit for purpose is totally incorrect."
The parents of 14-year-old Bryson Dimovski, who was killed in a hit-and-run incident at Warners Bay on July 28, 2023, were equally dismayed by the report.
"It's very disturbing," Andrew Dimovski said.
Mr Dimovski pointed to two recent Hunter court cases to highlight the disparity in sentences for general crimes and road crimes.
"When a guy who killed a chook at Bobs Farm got a higher sentence than a guy who killed his mate when he crashed his car because he was drunk and was speeding, you know there is something wrong with the road laws," he said.
Twenty-two-year-old Jaycob Issac Gemza was driving the car that struck Bryson Dimovski on the shoulder of Macquarie Road, 800 metres north of the Medcalf Street intersection, at Warners Bay.
He has pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing death, and not guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death - driving in a dangerous manner, and a backup count of negligent driving occasioning death.
He is due to face trial later this year.
Attorney General Michael Daley said in a statement that the government would carefully consider the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission review, including the creation of dangerous driving occasioning actual bodily harm offences.
"The review considered the views of the community, and the need for any law reform to be based on evidence, established principles and fit within the broader criminal law framework," he said.
"It determined the range of criminal offences and associated penalties that can apply when a driver seriously injures or causes the death of another person, including manslaughter, to be appropriate.
He acknowledged that many families do not feel justice has been done at the conclusion of a court process.
"Road crime inflicts immense pain and trauma on communities, and no criminal penalty can ever make up for the death of a loved one," he said.
"The government is always looking at ways to improve support for victims and their families and will consider evidence-backed proposals to ensure road crime is dealt with appropriately."
Mr Daher said the group would continue to push for reforms that would save lives.
"The Road Trauma Support group keeps moving forward because every person that uses our roads, whether they are pedestrians, passengers or a motorist, can be a victim of road trauma," he said.
"It's in everybody's interest that legislation is changed and legislation is effective."
Grieving families, including the family of Warners Bay teen Bryson Dimovski, have slammed a review into serious road crime offences.
The long-awaited Law Reform Commission review report was delivered this week.
The Road Trauma Support Group, which represents the family and friends of those killed from acts of negligent and dangerous driving, hoped the review would be a catalyst for legislative changes needed to make the roads safer.
Instead, Road Trauma Support Group chairman Tom Daher said the 186-page report was a major disappointment and missed opportunity for reform.
Among the suggestions that failed to win support was the group's push for standard non-parole periods to be applied to road crimes that result in death. The group had argued this was appropriate given that standard non-parole periods apply to other crimes that result in death.
The commission rejected a suggestion that victim impact panels be mandatory for repeat offenders as a condition of sentence.
It also rejected a call for intensive correction orders to be removed as a sentencing option for serious road crimes resulting in death.
"This review will achieve absolutely nothing. There are some changes but they amount to shifting the deck chairs on the Titanic," Mr Daher said.
"This was an opportunity to bring in legislation that would be effective. We know the system is broken; we only need to look at the road toll.
"We made lots of recommendations, and our recommendations come from experience, from going through the justice system. To be told in the review that the current legislation is well understood and fit for purpose is totally incorrect."
The parents of 14-year-old Bryson Dimovski, who was killed in a hit-and-run incident at Warners Bay on July 28, 2023, were equally dismayed by the report.
"It's very disturbing," Andrew Dimovski said.
Mr Dimovski pointed to two recent Hunter court cases to highlight the disparity in sentences for general crimes and road crimes.
"When a guy who killed a chook at Bobs Farm got a higher sentence than a guy who killed his mate when he crashed his car because he was drunk and was speeding, you know there is something wrong with the road laws," he said.
Twenty-two-year-old Jaycob Issac Gemza was driving the car that struck Bryson Dimovski on the shoulder of Macquarie Road, 800 metres north of the Medcalf Street intersection, at Warners Bay.
He has pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing death, and not guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death - driving in a dangerous manner, and a backup count of negligent driving occasioning death.
He is due to face trial later this year.
Attorney General Michael Daley said in a statement that the government would carefully consider the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission review, including the creation of dangerous driving occasioning actual bodily harm offences.
"The review considered the views of the community, and the need for any law reform to be based on evidence, established principles and fit within the broader criminal law framework," he said.
"It determined the range of criminal offences and associated penalties that can apply when a driver seriously injures or causes the death of another person, including manslaughter, to be appropriate.
He acknowledged that many families do not feel justice has been done at the conclusion of a court process.
"Road crime inflicts immense pain and trauma on communities, and no criminal penalty can ever make up for the death of a loved one," he said.
"The government is always looking at ways to improve support for victims and their families and will consider evidence-backed proposals to ensure road crime is dealt with appropriately."
Mr Daher said the group would continue to push for reforms that would save lives.
"The Road Trauma Support group keeps moving forward because every person that uses our roads, whether they are pedestrians, passengers or a motorist, can be a victim of road trauma," he said.
"It's in everybody's interest that legislation is changed and legislation is effective."
Grieving families, including the family of Warners Bay teen Bryson Dimovski, have slammed a review into serious road crime offences.
The long-awaited Law Reform Commission review report was delivered this week.
The Road Trauma Support Group, which represents the family and friends of those killed from acts of negligent and dangerous driving, hoped the review would be a catalyst for legislative changes needed to make the roads safer.
Instead, Road Trauma Support Group chairman Tom Daher said the 186-page report was a major disappointment and missed opportunity for reform.
Among the suggestions that failed to win support was the group's push for standard non-parole periods to be applied to road crimes that result in death. The group had argued this was appropriate given that standard non-parole periods apply to other crimes that result in death.
The commission rejected a suggestion that victim impact panels be mandatory for repeat offenders as a condition of sentence.
It also rejected a call for intensive correction orders to be removed as a sentencing option for serious road crimes resulting in death.
"This review will achieve absolutely nothing. There are some changes but they amount to shifting the deck chairs on the Titanic," Mr Daher said.
"This was an opportunity to bring in legislation that would be effective. We know the system is broken; we only need to look at the road toll.
"We made lots of recommendations, and our recommendations come from experience, from going through the justice system. To be told in the review that the current legislation is well understood and fit for purpose is totally incorrect."
The parents of 14-year-old Bryson Dimovski, who was killed in a hit-and-run incident at Warners Bay on July 28, 2023, were equally dismayed by the report.
"It's very disturbing," Andrew Dimovski said.
Mr Dimovski pointed to two recent Hunter court cases to highlight the disparity in sentences for general crimes and road crimes.
"When a guy who killed a chook at Bobs Farm got a higher sentence than a guy who killed his mate when he crashed his car because he was drunk and was speeding, you know there is something wrong with the road laws," he said.
Twenty-two-year-old Jaycob Issac Gemza was driving the car that struck Bryson Dimovski on the shoulder of Macquarie Road, 800 metres north of the Medcalf Street intersection, at Warners Bay.
He has pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing death, and not guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death - driving in a dangerous manner, and a backup count of negligent driving occasioning death.
He is due to face trial later this year.
Attorney General Michael Daley said in a statement that the government would carefully consider the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission review, including the creation of dangerous driving occasioning actual bodily harm offences.
"The review considered the views of the community, and the need for any law reform to be based on evidence, established principles and fit within the broader criminal law framework," he said.
"It determined the range of criminal offences and associated penalties that can apply when a driver seriously injures or causes the death of another person, including manslaughter, to be appropriate.
He acknowledged that many families do not feel justice has been done at the conclusion of a court process.
"Road crime inflicts immense pain and trauma on communities, and no criminal penalty can ever make up for the death of a loved one," he said.
"The government is always looking at ways to improve support for victims and their families and will consider evidence-backed proposals to ensure road crime is dealt with appropriately."
Mr Daher said the group would continue to push for reforms that would save lives.
"The Road Trauma Support group keeps moving forward because every person that uses our roads, whether they are pedestrians, passengers or a motorist, can be a victim of road trauma," he said.
"It's in everybody's interest that legislation is changed and legislation is effective."
