Thursday, 28 November 2024

Stalking law reform

Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (18:21): (1341) In my very last contribution in this chamber last year I highlighted the case of Celeste Manno, who was senselessly murdered by a stalker. Celeste was a beautiful young woman who was relentlessly stalked by somebody who was completely obsessed with her. He followed her, he found out where she lived, he broke into her home and he stabbed her to death on her bed. He was angry that she did not want to be with him, and he was jealous because she had a boyfriend. I also highlighted the incredible work of Aggie, her mother, and the 45 recommendations of the Victorian Law Reform Commission to strengthen stalking laws in order to honour Celeste Manno’s memory. I got a response from the government, and it said:

We value the advice of the VLRC and are committed to addressing the catalysts of gendered crime and the barriers to supporting the victim-survivors of stalking.

That was a year ago, and nothing has been done – absolutely nothing; all words and absolutely zero action. Once again I am intentionally using my last contribution of this year to ask for action in this area – for the Premier and the ministers to step up and actually do something about violence against women in this state. I cannot believe that here we are one year on and I have to make the same request of the Premier and this government. We have had 12 months of coming into this place and all there has been is a complete failure of the government to address this and take action and do something to reform and strengthen these laws. Let us not forget about the government’s dithering when it comes to the 1000 years of jail time that was taken off sentences, including those of the most violent murderers and rapists, because they were locked up and inconvenienced because of COVID.

This Premier and her ministers have turned up to walks against family violence, but they will not make the changes that are required. They will not reform the laws that protect the exact women that they are walking shoulder to shoulder with. This sums up the government perfectly: all talk, all walk, no action. My adjournment tonight is for the Premier, and the action that I seek is that the Premier urgently make good on this government’s rhetoric and finally enact the stalking law reforms that were presented to it more than two years ago. Premier, I hope for the sake of the grieving families that I am not here this time next year asking for exactly the same thing.