Wednesday, 5 February 2025

Bail reform

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:21): (784) My question is for the Minister for Youth Justice. I refer to your responsibility under the administrative orders, jointly and severally, for section 3B of the Bail Act and refer in particular to your statement yesterday that you will submit material to the Premier’s review of bail laws, and I ask: in your submission will the rights of the Victorian community to safety take precedence over the rights of offenders and those seeking bail?

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (12:21): I thank Mr Davis for his question and his interest in our youth justice system and also in relation to the bail settings. I think you clearly were not listening to the discussion that we had in my answer to your question yesterday. I think for the Bail Act more generally the Attorney-General is the lead minister. The Bail Act, if you are familiar with it, is about 114 pages, and about one page of that is 3B, in relation to children, which I have joint coverage with the Attorney-General on. It is a responsibility I take very seriously, and that is why –

David Davis: So you are doing a submission? Tell us how it is going to be framed.

Enver ERDOGAN: I will take that interjection, Mr Davis. I never said ‘submission’. I said ‘if required’; I trust that my colleagues will come to me, and I will support them with information if required. I will do that work because I trust my colleagues on this side of the bench, because community safety is a priority for the whole of government – not just for the justice ministers but for the whole of government.

But on the review that you referred to, I think the Premier was very clear. That work is appropriately being led by the Attorney-General and the police minister, who have responsibility for bail and community safety in terms of crime prevention. When people end up at the end of that process in custodial settings or on a supervision order, of course we take it very seriously in corrections and youth justice to supervise those people in custody and out in the community. But that work will be done and led appropriately – and they have my full support – by the Attorney-General and the police minister. I think the Premier was very clear. They will come to me. If they require any information, I will be happy to provide it, and I trust that they will come to me as required, because we trust each other on this side of the bench, unlike those opposite. I am not going to go into detail about conversations I have with my colleagues, and I will not be recording them, but I will work with them. I am committed to working with my colleagues in relation to ensuring the community is kept as safe as possible, Mr Davis.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:23): The Premier has said there will be a review and Minister Carbines has said there will not be a review, so I ask the minister: is it a review, and will you consult with the Victorian community in framing your submission to the ministerial review?

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (12:24): I thank Mr Davis for his supplementary question. I think the Premier was quite clear that there is a review on some of our justice settings, led by the Attorney-General and supported by the police minister, and they will be doing that work obviously as a government. Remember, community safety is a whole-of-government priority for us. All ministers are interested in community safety, and the way we achieve community safety is through a number of angles. One is obviously through the settings in the criminal justice system, but my view is that an investment in early childhood education is an investment in the long-term safety of our community, an investment in free TAFE is an investment in the long-term safety of our community and the rehabilitation programs we run in custody are an investment in community safety, Mr Davis.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, on one hand the Premier says it is a review; Mr Carbines says it is not a review, it is a discussion. The minister over here just interjected that it is a continuous improvement – a continuous improvement is what was said. My point of order is: simply tell us, is it a review, is it not a review? I want to hear whether your submission will have community input.

The PRESIDENT: I think the minister actually answered the question about the review in the first part of his answer. If he wishes to continue, I will call the minister.

Enver ERDOGAN: I want to inform Mr Davis that the Premier released a press release in relation to this, about making improvements to our community safety settings, and I direct Mr Davis to that press statement if he would like to see the detail.