Labor has pledged to reform WA’s parole laws to ensure that serial killers or mass murderers would not be considered for parole.

Serial killer Catherine Birnie, who will be eligible for parole consideration again in 2019, would be first on the list.

In a move made in the light of a campaign by Birnie survivor Kate Moir, shadow attorney-general John Quigley told The West Australian that if elected, a Labor government would amend existing laws that allowed even the worst killers to be considered for release every three years.

Under the changes, an attorney-general could tell the Prisoners Review Board not to consider parole in cases of serial killing. That would be defined as two or more murders on different days or, in the case of mass killing, two or more murders on the same day.

The parole consideration ban would last for the term of that government.

Mr Quigley said that if he became attorney-general, Catherine Birnie would be the first person he would make subject to an order.

“She might well never be released but she is still considered every three years, which is traumatic for victims and relatives of victims,” Mr Quigley said.

Camera Icon Frank Mikhail. Credit: WA News

Ms Moir was 17 when she was snatched from a Perth street, restrained and sexually assaulted by Catherine Birnie and her partner-in-evil David, who had already killed four young women. The pair were captured after Ms Moir escaped and alerted police.

Ms Moir launched a campaign last year to try to halt what she said was the regular “retraumatisation” of victims who are asked about the possibility of parole for their attackers.

An online petition in support of the changes has been signed by more than 40,000 people.

Attorney-General Michael Mischin said last week he had told Ms Moir he would not change the parole laws.

“So far as limiting the three-year reviews, I have given (Ms Moir) an explanation on why, in the public interest, changing to no reviews in some cases was not practical or desirable,” Mr Mischin said. “But the grotesque nature of their offending would put them in a category where it would be difficult to justify a release ultimately.”

Another person likely to be included in that category is William Patrick Mitchell.

He murdered Mid West woman Karen MacKenzie, 31, andher son and two daughters at their home in Greenough in 1993.

He was considered for parole last year and rejected.

Mrs MacKenzie’s sister Evalyn Clow has also campaigned for changes to parole laws.

She says they needlessly force victims to relive their grief.

She welcomed the Labor move but said she still believed lawmakers could go further.

“To have it come up every three years kicks you around emotionally and mentally,” Ms Clow said.

“A government could go further and make it so Mitchell and Birnie should never be considered for parole.

“But this at least means that parole consideration would not come around so quickly.”