The hardship of an offender serving a sentence in Australia when their family and business are overseas is a relevant factor that may justify a reduction in the non-parole period below two-thirds of the head sentence. A sentencing judge errs in treating a two-thirds non-parole period as 'necessary' without proper regard to such circumstances. For importation of 225 grams of pure heroin by a courier with prior drug convictions, a starting point of 13 years with a 35% discount for early plea and cooperation, yielding a head sentence of 8 years and 6 months, was within range.
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