The Government's edging towards becoming more prescriptive with its sentencing reforms.  

It's introducing changes to lengthen sentences for some crimes including creating a new aggravating factor and limiting sentencing discounts. 

Law Society Criminal Law Committee Convenor Chris Macklin says it's early days, but it looks like there's still some room for discretion. 

He told Mike Hosking that he expects Judges will do their best to apply whatever comes out of the legislation as fairly as possible.  

Macklin says it's just a small step towards becoming more prescriptive, signalling to the courts the expectation of Parliament rather than an outcome. 

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