Victoria’s government is expected to announce sweeping reforms to bail laws as early as tomorrow.
Premier Jacinta Allan is set to announce the toughest bail laws in the country in an official announcement in the morning, with punishments connected to serious offending including carjacking and aggravated burglary expected to be tightened.
9News understands a ban on machetes is also on the cards, after ministers discussed proposals in a 2.5-hour cabinet meeting today.
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It comes as the premier was accused of rejecting a plan by then-police commissioner Shane Patton to fix Victoria’s troubled bail system weeks before he was axed.
It’s understood Patton suggested putting a three-strike limit on bail chances, but sports minister Steve Dimopoulos today quashed any suggestion the government dismissed the top cop’s proposal.
“It’s an assumption that we’ve rejected something. The premier said nothing’s off the table,” Dimopoulos said.
“The premier’s made it clear that they’re coming to us very soon with proposed responses.”
The overhaul could be a major breakthrough for dozens of protesters and victims of crime who marched through the Victorian city of Bendigo, calling for tougher bail laws.
Rally leader Tanya Mallia, a victim of a home invasion, shared that she has been left traumatised after being held at knifepoint inside her home.
Protesters held up handwritten signs saying “bail laws need to change” and “youth crime do the time” as they walked through the city centre from Premier Jacinta Allan’s electoral office and towards the law courts precinct.
“We want to make a change because our children are our future. We are sick of looking over our shoulders, Jacinta Allan needs to hear us now and something needs to be done,” Mallia said.
“Our children are turning into preparators of crime and something needs to change now.
“Jacinta Allan please don’t wipe this under the mat, we need to be heard now. We want action taken immediately. Do something now, we need to be safe.”
The Bendigo woman said she struggles to sleep at night after an intruder broke into her home.
“I had an intruder come through my back door, didn’t know him. He jumped the fence and he came in with a knife and he came charging and threatened myself and a bystander that I had in my home at the time,” she said.
“He was chased out. Police were called and got him immediately. We feared for our life that night, it was scary. I haven’t slept, every time I hear a noise I fear he is out there.
“The justice system just lets them off. No one needs to go through that it’s trauma and it needs to be done now.”
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The protest comes a week after nine teenagers were filmed allegedly punching, kicking and dragging a security guard at Bendigo Marketplace.
Police said the guard was set upon after he had asked the youths to leave the centre.
Acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent revealed last month he had already been in talks with the government about bail reforms and emphasised the need for the force to reset.
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