Tuesday, 13 August 2024

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Youth justice system

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:01): My question is to the Premier. I refer the Premier to the following victims: Dr Ash Gordon, stabbed to death by two teens, one of whom was on bail at the time; Davide Pollina, hit and killed by teens in a stolen car who had previously been on bail; and William Taylor, hit and killed by a teen in a stolen car who was then set free on bail again. When will the Premier acknowledge that this Labor government’s weakened bail laws are costing lives?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:02): Let me say at the outset to those families and indeed any family who has lost a loved one in such tragic circumstances that of course our thoughts and sympathies are with those families and with those loved ones. I think for anyone who saw the heartbreak on the faces of the Pollina family, as was reported yesterday, our hearts go out to them and our thoughts go out to them. They are such unspeakable tragedies that are causing such grief. It is why, as part of the work that I, the police minister, the Attorney and the youth justice minister have been embarking on in recent weeks, we have listened to the voices of victims of crime. We have also listened to Victoria Police. It is why we have met with representatives from the court and also listened to people who work in the youth justice sector, because we do understand, and I have said this previously, that we do have an issue here in this state with a group of young offenders who think they can take action without consequence. We know that we need to strengthen the framework around those young people. We are very –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question asked whether the Premier will acknowledge that the government’s weakening of bail laws costs lives.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Speaker, there is no point of order. The Premier was being relevant to the question, and I ask that you rule the point of order out of order.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was responding to the question that was asked in relation to laws that are costing lives, and I think the Premier was being relevant to that question.

Jacinta ALLAN: We have been having these conversations that build on the Youth Justice Bill that is currently before the Legislative Council, a bill that we are proud of because it is transformational reform that will see more young people diverted away from a life of crime. But it is absolutely apparent that there is a group of young offenders. And when it comes to bail laws, I do note that the bail changes that went through the Parliament last year had bipartisan support. They were supported by the opposition.

We have acknowledged that we need to do more, and today we announced how we are going to do more to protect Victorians – how we are going to strengthen the bail test, how we are going to strengthen bail revocation and how we are going to create a new separate offence. I say that the Parliament has an opportunity this week with the bill in the upper house to take this action immediately, and that is really a question for the Leader of the Opposition – to grasp this opportunity, make these changes this week and make a difference for community safety.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Malvern is warned.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:06): In her answer the Premier said that she had been listening. The Premier said she had been having conversations. I ask therefore: has the Premier spoken with the grieving families of these victims to apologise for weakening Victoria’s bail laws?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:06): Keeping the community safe is our absolute priority, and I want to be absolutely clear –

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question was very direct and deliberately so about whether the Premier has spoken with the grieving families.

The SPEAKER: The Premier had just commenced her response.

Jacinta ALLAN: I want to be absolutely clear that we are building on those bail changes, which had the support of the Liberal Party in their passage through the Parliament, and that we are strengthening today with our announcement. I know the Attorney-General has –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, this was a very direct question as to whether the Premier has shown the courtesy of speaking to the victims’ families. The Premier is more than halfway through the answer and has not come anywhere near the answer. Those families deserve a response.

The SPEAKER: The Premier will come back to answering the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: I know that the Attorney has met with representatives of the family of Dr Ash Gordon. In terms of the other family representatives, let us remember a family today lost their loved son just two days ago, and I will not add to their grief and trauma by commenting further. I will focus on keeping the community safe.