Attempts by Labor’s Minister for Police to blame the courts for serious offenders being continually released on bail is a disgraceful attempt to shift responsibility for Victoria’s youth crime crisis.
Today at a media conference the Minister for Police, Anthony Carbines, said: “It is incumbent on the courts to ensure that repeat serious offenders who are on bail have that bail revoked; that is the expectation of the Government, the Parliament and the people of Victoria”.
Judges can only apply the bail laws passed by the Parliament.
The fact is that on 25 March this year, the Allan Labor Government substantially weakened Victoria’s bail laws.
Labor weakened bail laws by weakening the test for repeat serious offenders to continue obtaining bail.
Labor weakened bail laws by abolishing the offence of committing an indictable offence whilst on bail.
Labor weakened bail laws by abolishing the offence of failing to observe bail conditions.
Labor weakened bail laws by increasing the weight that bail decision makers must apply to the status of an offender as a minor.
Shadow Attorney-General, Michael O’Brien, said: “It is the Allan Labor Government that decided – against all evidence and common sense – to weaken bail laws, putting Victorians at risk.
“The ideologically-driven bail law changes that Labor forced on Victorians are now having tragic real world consequences.
“Labor cannot manage the justice system and Victorians are paying the price.”
