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#Justice4BiddyPorter

VIEW MHRT PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY
VIEW LEGISLATIVE REFORM
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CORONIAL INQUEST SECURED
VIEW OUR MHRT INQUIRY SUBMISSION

Advocacy Australia’s Justice For Biddy Porter campaign commenced in July 2024 with the launch of our NSW Parliament e-petition on 1 July 2024 which closed at midnight on Tuesday 24th September with the petition debated in NSW Parliament on Thursday 17th October 2024. View the petition debate below.

Stay up to date with the Justice For Biddy Campaign and other victim campaigns by following our Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Just 35 days after the Justice For Biddy Petition was presented and debated in NSW Parliament, on Thursday 21st November, The Hon. Rose Jackson, the NSW Minister for Mental Health introduced the Mental Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 to implement reform for forensic patients within the MHRT System. On Wednesday 19th February the legislation was passed by Parliament and sent to the Governor for Assent on Friday 21st February 2025 and assented on Sunday 2nd March 2025. Read our response to the new legislation.

The week following Minister Jackson’s introduction of legislative reforms, on 26 November 2024, Advocacy Australia was notified that the NSW State Coroner, Her Honour Magistrate O’Sullivan, was of the opinion that an inquest should be held into Biddy Porter’s death.

The coronial inquest into the circumstances surrounding Biddy Porter’s death was held from 16–18 June 2026 before NSW State Coroner Magistrate O’Sullivan with a final tranche scheduled for late November 2026. The Coroner’s findings are expected to be delivered in early 2027.

Then, on 5 June 2026, came a landmark moment. After initially ruling out an inquiry, the NSW Government – through our relentless advocacy with multiple victims – announced a Parliamentary Inquiry into the forensic division of the Mental Health Review Tribunal, building on the legislative reforms we initiated. Our NSW Parliament e-petition drew 40,004 signatures from across Australia, including 21,550 from NSW, triggering just the 18th parliamentary debate since the e-petition system began.

The Committee on Law and Safety is examining how the Mental Health Review Tribunal operates, how it manages forensic cases, and the impact of recent legislative changes. The Inquiry is focused on the operation of the system as a whole, rather than reviewing individual Tribunal decisions.

The Inquiry sought written submissions, with Advocacy Australia lodging a detailed submission and subsequently being invited to give evidence in person. Advocacy Australia opened the Inquiry’s hearings on 10 August 2026 by giving evidence in a closed session and also supported victims who participated in closed hearings held across 10 and 11 August 2026.

To read Advocacy Australia’s written submission, visit the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the Mental Health Review Tribunal and view Submission 32 and 32A. Around 300 forensic patients fall under the Tribunal’s jurisdiction each year. That’s hundreds of grieving families, many carrying experiences they have never had the chance to voice. This inquiry is that chance.

Advocacy Australia’s NSW Parliament e-petition secured 21,550 NSW Signatures with our Outside NSW Supporters Register and the Change.Org petition securing an additional 18,454 signatures from across Australia and the globe.

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At around 6:30am one winter’s morning in 2020, 10-year-old Bridgette “Biddy” Porter was brutally killed by a teenage girl known to her. So vicious and so heinous was her killing, that the Supreme Court of NSW ordered the details of Biddy’s injuries be suppressed for twenty (20) years.

In 2024, four years after Biddy’s tragic death her parents, Rebekah and Dominic began fighting for justice for their precious little girl who, until then, has been made invisible by a system her parents say is focused on protecting their daughter’s killer, rather than meeting community expectations and achieving justice for their little girl and her loved ones.

In their fight for justice for Biddy, Advocacy Australia initiated called for Parliamentary Inquiries into the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT).

In the state of New South Wales, no public servant or service should be above public scrutiny and accountability. These Inquiries would investigate the DPP’s handling of Biddy’s case, its accountability under the Charter of Victims Rights, the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013, and the ODPP (NSW) Prosecution Guidelines; and, the MHRT’s lack of transparency and accountability having absolute, independent power to release killers back into the community with victims’ families and the community powerless to object.

While the DPP and the MHRT are empowered to avoid public scrutiny and accountability, victims of serious crimes like Biddy continue to be silenced with justice denied them. And although Biddy’s parents know their campaign can never bring their precious little girl back, through Parliamentary Inquires into the DPP and the MHRT, essential reforms to Victims Services and a Coronial Inquest into Biddy’s brutal death; Rebekah and Dominic hoped to help other victims of serious crimes and prevent similar attacks and killings by minors such as those that have occurred in recent months.

With the support of Philip Donato MP, Advocacy Australia and the Australian public, the Justice For Biddy petition exceeded the minimum NSW signatories required to initiate a Parliamentary Debate.

Rebekah, Dominic and Advocacy Australia would like to thank Mr Phil Donato MP, Member for Orange, the Hon. Rose Jackson, NSW Police, the District Commander and Superintendent of the region, the lead detectives and their team for their ongoing support and commitment to Biddy. We would especially like to thank NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb APM for her genuine care and support for the Porter family. She has been integral in supporting Rebekah and Dominic throughout their quest for justice for their Biddy.

We would also like to thank the NSW State Coroner, Her Honour Magistrate O’Sullivan, Counsel Assisting Dr Peggy Dwyer SC, and her team, Emma Sullivan, Caitlin Healey-Nash, Georgia Morgan, Gillian Buchan, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah N. for the care, sensitivity and diligence they have brought to the coronial process, and for their commitment to thoroughly examining the circumstances surrounding Biddy’s death and the important issues arising from it.

MHRT INQUIRY PROMOTIONAL KIT

JUSTICE FOR BIDDY PORTER IN THE MEDIA

7 News Spotlight: Justice For Biddy

Advocacy Australia extend our sincere thanks to the journalists, producers, editors, legal teams and media organisations who ensured Biddy’s story was heard. Justice for Biddy would not have been possible without the media’s willingness to investigate, ask difficult questions and give Rebekah and Dominic a voice.

Our heartfelt thanks go to Michael Usher, Tim Sheridan, Andrea Keir, Cydonee Mardon, Joanna Woodburn, Bek Day, Grace Dudley, Lauren Evans, Kimberly Lambourne, Madeleine Bower, Michelle Cook, Toni Ambrogetti, Sophie Upcroft, Stephanie Gardiner, Alex Mitchell, Jack Gramenz, Darren Cutrupi and Giuseppa Nastasi.

We also thank 7NEWS Australia, Seven News Spotlight, ABC, The Sunday Telegraph, Mamamia, 7NEWS Central West, Nine News, AAP, WIN News, ARN and the Central Western Daily for giving Biddy’s story the platform and scrutiny it deserved.

Special thanks to Richard Keegan, Channel 7’s lawyer, whose work identified the legal pathway that enabled Biddy’s story to be told publicly, and to Michael Usher and Tim Sheridan for their integrity, compassion and determination. The media gave Biddy back her voice, highlighted her family’s fight for justice and helped drive meaningful reform across NSW. None of what Justice for Biddy has achieved would have been possible without that support.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Victims of crime who’ve had similar experiences in their dealings with the NSW DPP, the Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT) or Victims Services are invited to contact Advocacy Australia by completing this form.

For media inquiries, contact media[AT]advocacyaustralia[dot]org[dot]au

PLEASE NOTE: Advocacy Australia has the full consent of Bridgette “Biddy” Porter’s senior available next of kin – Rebekah Porter (mother) and Dominic Porter (father), to publish information about Biddy and her image under section 15E of the Children’s (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW) – 15E Exception where child deceased (1) This Division does not prohibit the publication or broadcasting of the name of a deceased child with the consent of a senior available next of kin of the child.