Premier Jacinta Allan pulled the ripcord on a justice review, including bail laws, on Tuesday as Victoria's parliament returned for 2025, ahead of by-elections in Werribee and Prahran on Saturday.
Ms Allan denied the move was linked to the poll in Werribee, where Labor is fighting to defend the seat in Melbourne's outer west, or poor polling showing Labor's primary vote has slipped to a historic low of 22 per cent.
"It's unacceptable to me that too many working families, too many women and children, don't feel safe and, as premier, I will act," she told reporters.
No details were provided on the review's terms of reference or when Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny and Police Minister Anthony Carbines would come back with recommendations.
Victoria's bail laws have been repeatedly overhauled in recent years.
In 2023, it was made easier for low-level offenders to get bail because a disproportionate number of women and Indigenous people were being kept on remand.
The main catalyst for the changes was the 2020 death of Indigenous woman Veronica Nelson in a prison cell, after the laws were tightened in 2018 following the deadly Bourke Street rampage.
More bail measures were enacted in late 2024 through a standalone youth justice bill, including an electronic monitoring trial for high-risk youth offenders on bail and keeping people on remand if they posed an "unacceptable risk" of committing aggravated burglary, carjacking, dangerous driving or family violence.
While acknowledging the need for further changes, Ms Allan refused to concede it showed former attorney-general Jaclyn Symes "stuffed up".
The opposition says the only reason the review is happening is because of the by-elections and bad polling.
Brad Battin says the premier is only interested in keeping her job. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)
"The problem with Jacinta Allan is she was only interested in one thing, that's protecting her own job," Opposition Leader Brad Battin told reporters.
The opposition wants the crime of committing an indictable offence while on bail reinstated, police vacancies filled and more prevention programs.
Mr Battin honed in on the review in his first question time since deposing John Pesutto as leader, but was unable to fish any extra details out of the premier.
In a joint statement, the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and Aboriginal Justice Caucus said the "premature review" was proof that the government cared more about polling numbers than keeping Indigenous communities safe.
"The chief commissioner and the attorney-general at the time looked me in my eyes and promised to make bail conditions better, because of what Veronica and my family suffered," Ms Nelson's mother Aunty Donna said.
"Where are those promises now."
Maggie Munn, director of First Nations justice at the Human Rights Law Centre, accused the government of buckling to opposition fear-mongering and taking "another step backwards".
The Law Institute of Victoria's Donna Cooper stressed the group acknowledged community concerns about crime.
"However, any review should consider the intended purpose of the new laws, how they are being put into practice and the impact of the changes," she said.
William Taylor died after his car collided with a stolen car driven by a 17-year-old boy. (HANDOUT/VICTORIA POLICE)
Crime by children aged 10 to 17 has reached its highest level in 15 years, with 23,810 incidents, up 17 per cent on the 12 months to September 30.
A 17-year-old boy was granted bail then had it revoked after being accused of killing 28-year-old William Taylor in a July crash at Burwood while joyriding in a stolen Jeep with five other teens.Â
GP Ashley Gordon, 33, died after an alleged confrontation with two teenagers - one of whom was facing serious criminal charges - who broke into his house at Doncaster in Melbourne's east in January 2024.
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