Tuesday, 13 August 2024

Ministers statements: youth justice system

Anthony CARBINES (Ivanhoe – Minister for Police, Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Racing) (14:19): Can I start by remarking for the house that Victoria Police do an incredible job every day and night keeping Victorians safe, and on behalf of everyone in this house I thank them for their service to the Victorian people. When the chips are down and when times are tough for Victorians, police are the first people that they call. We have seen also, can I say, that our government has invested some $4.5 billion in our Victoria Police service, the largest police service in the country. We have funded some 3600 additional police.

Our landmark reforms around youth justice strike a balance between youth diversion, youth cautions and our significant programs to turn young lives around, and ensuring that our youth crime prevention programs get the funding and resources to deliver the outcomes that Victorians need. We know that the unique offender rate that we have here in Victoria is seeing some 100 youth offenders committing up to two dozen crimes each. We know that our government needs to invest some $34 million to establish our electronic monitoring trial that will see bail conditions met and hold to account those offenders who need to be supported to get their lives back on track and meet the obligations to the community that the courts have set for them. The trial will be implemented alongside more intensive bail supervision to keep those young people in education and employment and to keep them out of jail but to make sure they meet their obligations to the community.

We also are making sure that the Parliament leads on these matters. Not only are we doing that, but we are making sure that there are serious offences for serious crimes that are committed and for repeat offences that are committed by those in the community. We have already seen through Operation Trinity and Operation Alliance thousands of arrests for youth gangs and thousands of arrests for aggravated burglary – thousands and thousands. We will continue to hold to account people in the community who commit serious crimes. That is where our reforms go, while also providing opportunities for young people to turn their lives around.