Wednesday, 14 August 2024

Bail laws

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): My question is to the Premier. Eighty-eight-year-old Pearl from Leongatha had her car stolen from her home two months ago, while she was there. Police have charged a 14-year-old boy over the theft – the same boy who has been charged, bailed and released multiple times in the past few months. Under the government’s legislation, would this 14-year-old be remanded so we do not have more victims like Pearl?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:18): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. When it comes to strengthening community safety for victims of crime, for women like Pearl, it is exactly why yesterday morning I, along with the police minister, the Attorney and the youth justice minister, made a series of announcements around strengthening the requirements around bail. In answering the Leader of the Opposition’s question directly, the Leader of the Opposition knows full well that bail decisions are made by bail decision makers, not by politicians. What our job to do is to provide police and bail decision makers with the tools and resources they need in these situations. And that is exactly why yesterday we announced that we will strengthen –

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, it was a simple question about whether the bail laws that the Premier is speaking of will ensure that the 14-year-old who was repeatedly charged and bailed is not released into the community. It is a pretty simple question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was referring to matters that were raised in the question, and the Premier was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: In being entirely relevant to the question that was asked, yesterday we announced measures after having listened to Victoria Police, listened to the courts, listened to victims of crime –

Members interjecting.

Jacinta ALLAN: It is a shame that this issue is not being given –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I would hope that members are interested in the answer.

Jacinta ALLAN: Women like Pearl deserve this matter to be treated seriously and with respect, and that is why yesterday we announced that we are introducing stronger bail measures to strengthen the test, to strengthen bail revocation and to introduce new offences. The question here is: if the Leader of the Opposition is concerned about women like Pearl, he will pass these reforms tomorrow.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): The same 14-year-old was arrested over an aggravated burglary and car theft last Wednesday. The victim was 78-year-old Vietnam veteran Edwin Baker, who was left traumatised, saying:

I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I’m stressed, and shaking …

The boy was again bailed and released. He committed another aggravated burglary and car theft the very next night. Will the Premier finally admit that Labor’s decision to weaken bail laws has made Victorians less safe?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:22): I reject the proposition that the Leader of the Opposition has put at the end of his question, particularly in the context that the bail laws that passed this Parliament last year had the bipartisan support of the Parliament. What we have done this week after listening to victims of crime and after listening to the police and listening to the courts –

Members interjecting.

Jacinta ALLAN: We are introducing into the Parliament this week measures to strengthen bail. The Leader of the Opposition has an opportunity this week to make these changes with the government. If he does not, his message to every victim of crime is that he and the Liberal Party are soft on crime.