When imposing an aggregate sentence under s 53A, sentencing judges should not specify non-parole periods for indicative sentences (except for standard non-parole period offences) and should not specify commencement dates, as doing so defeats the purpose of aggregate sentencing and generates unnecessary grounds of appeal. Guilty plea discounts must be applied to each indicative sentence individually, not to the aggregate sentence. Indicative sentences are not themselves amenable to appeal, though they may guide whether error is established in the aggregate sentence. Even if indicative sentences are assessed as excessive, that does not necessarily mean the aggregate sentence is excessive.
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