Where a legislative amendment between the date of a guilty plea and the date of sentence operates to the detriment of the offender, the words 'in addition to any other matters' in s 16A of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) provide a sufficient statutory warrant for the sentencing court to exercise a discretion to ameliorate the harsher consequences as a matter of fairness. A sentencing judge who treats a low-level courier as a principal in a drug importation enterprise commits an error warranting appellate intervention. For a low-level courier importing approximately 2.5 kg of pure heroin, a head sentence in the range of 8-12 years is appropriate, subject to discount for a guilty plea and subjective circumstances.
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