Australia plans to ban convicted pedophiles from traveling overseas in what the government said Tuesday is a world-first move to protect vulnerable children in Southeast Asia from exploitation.
Australian pedophiles are notorious for taking inexpensive vacations to nearby Southeast Asian and Pacific island countries to abuse children there.
"There has been increasing community concern about sexual exploitation of vulnerable children and community concern is justified," she told reporters.
Almost 800 registered child sex offenders travelled overseas from Australia last year and about half went to Southeast Asian destinations, she said.
"There will be new legislation which will make Australia a world leader in protecting vulnerable children in our region from child sex tourism," Bishop said.
He said 2,500 new convicted pedophiles would be added to the sex offender register each year and would also lose their passports.
"If we can take a passport from a bankrupt, why can't we stop our pedophiles from traveling to Myanmar?" »
