The Victorian opposition has promised to toughen bail and sentencing laws if it wins government at the state election later this year.
As part of their new policy announced on Wednesday morning, the Liberals and Nationals said they would introduce their own reforms after the Labor government strengthened bail laws last year.
Under the plan, the opposition will expand the number of offences treated as adult crimes to include burglary, serious assault and attempted murder.
The opposition says the government’s changes to bail laws last year are insufficient. (Supplied: ABC News)
The Coalition has also proposed to introduce a “one-strike bail rule”, meaning offenders who reoffend would be automatically denied bail.
The opposition would also strengthen the offence of breach of bail and extend breach of bail laws to youth offenders by removing an existing “youth exemption”.
The Victorian government last year passed new bail and sentencing laws, including its so-called “adult time for violent crime” bill.
Those new laws — released amid record high youth crime in the state — removed remand in custody as a last resort for youth offenders, introduced stricter bail tests for people who committed a crime while already on bail, and reclassified home invasions and carjackings as more serious offences.
Premer Jacinta Allan has touted the government’s new bail laws as the toughest in the country. (AAP Image: Joel Carrett)
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said the proposed bail laws aim to “end Labor’s crime crisis and keep Victorians safe”.
“Labor’s weak laws and revolving-door bail system are putting dangerous offenders back on the street and continuing the cycle of crime. The system must change,” she said.
“Our stronger bail and sentencing laws will mean serious consequences for serious crime and back the work Victoria Police is doing to hold offenders to account.”
Shadow Attorney-General James Newbury said the community expected a tough response to crime.
“The community’s had enough. The community knows that the laws are too weak. The community also knows that the bail system isn’t meeting community expectations,” he said.
“We have announced a policy that expands the type of offences by which, if you behave badly, you will not get bail. If you are a criminal, you will end up in jail.”