The Victorian parliament passed the reforms, claimed by the government to be the 'toughest in Australia', in the early hours of Friday.
The "Bail Bill" removes the principle of remand as a last resort for children, makes community safety an overarching principle for bail decisions and reintroduces bail offences.
Tougher bail tests for serious offences will take effect in three months.
Indigenous and human rights groups say the laws will needlessly lock away more people - particularly Aboriginal women and children experiencing poverty, family violence and mental illness.
"The Allan government has rammed through dangerous and discriminatory bail laws which will deeply harm Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and breach human rights," they said in a joint statement.
Maggie Munn from the Human Rights Law Centre said the laws condemn generations of children and adults to the trauma of imprisonment.
"Entrenching people in the criminal legal system is dangerous and could lead to more people dying behind bars," she said.
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive Nerita Wright said there was still time for the premier to show strong leadership and listen to the experts.
Shadow Attorney-General Michael O'Brien labelled the changes weak because they didn't restore Victoria's bail laws to what they were one year ago.
Victoria tightened bail laws in 2018 after James Gargasoulas drove into Melbourne's busy Bourke Street Mall in 2017 while on bail, killing six people and injuring dozens more.
The laws were relaxed in 2024 after a coronial inquest into Indigenous woman Veronica Nelson's death found the changes were an "unmitigated disaster".
Meanwhile, car enthusiasts are choosing to leave their prized possessions in the home garage as thieves exploit vulnerabilities in ignition systems amid surging car thefts.
Holden Commodore, especially V8-powered VFs, and certain car makes dating back to 2010s are being targeted by tech-savvy criminals using devices that mimic electronic car keys.
At least 10 VF Commodores are stolen daily in Victoria, says HSV Owners Club Victoria president Col Pocock.
"I can probably name half a dozen of our club members that have had cars stolen in the last six months," Mr Pocock told AAP.
Mr Pocock has installed an immobiliser that requires a pin code to start his car, while other club members have turned to trackers to help recover stolen cars.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill said thieves are using this technology in one in five car thefts in the state.
