Laws to ensure Russell St Bomber Craig Minogue dies in jail fast-tracked
NEW laws to ensure that Russell St bomber Craig Minogue dies behind bars will be fast-tracked into State Parliament so they will pass this year.
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NEW laws to ensure that Russell St bomber Craig Minogue dies behind bars will be fast-tracked into State Parliament today so they will pass this year.
With Minogue’s parole application due to be considered in January, the Andrews Government has bowed to pressure and vowed to rush through new cop-killer laws.
The proposed law changes would mean anyone who murders a police officer — either on duty or in connection with their role — will have no chance of parole.
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This means Minogue, one of three men who bombed police headquarters in 1986 in an act of terror that killed Constable Angela Taylor, will have to serve his full life sentence. The move comes after a long campaign by the Herald Sun and victims of crime, and amid a law and order frenzy from the government this week.
In another law reform to be brought before parliament today, killers will be denied parole if they refuse to give up the location of the bodies of their victims.
The new laws will deny parole from offenders convicted of murder, manslaughter, conspiracy to murder and accessory to murder, if they do not co-operate with authorities.
The change will be retrospective and Premier Daniel Andrews revealed this morning that it would apply to eight criminals who are already behind bars.
The government was forced to act on the “no body, no parole” reforms after the Opposition introduced its own Bill earlier this year.
Mr Andrews said the government’s approach was more comprehensive to ensure that “victims of crime come first, now and always”.
“Offenders who refuse to co-operate with police to reveal the location of their victims compound the pain of the victim’s loved ones and don’t deserve parole,” he said.
Senior Russell St bombing investigator Gary Ayres was overjoyed by the government’s move to rush through new cop-killer laws.
“I didn’t think they’d go this far,” he said.
“It’s good to hear they’re fast-tracking it. He’s where he deserves to be. There’s a lot more that we don’t know about Minogue. I’d like to see his reaction.”
The Opposition has already introduced a Private Member’s Bill to the Upper House, and is likely to support the new measures, with leader Matthew Guy saying the issue should be a priority this week.
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Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday night said the laws would not be a “one man” approach but would cover all people convicted of murdering a police officer.
“Parole is not a right, it’s a privilege, and it should not be granted to people who murder police officers,” he said.
“The men and women of the Victorian police force risk their lives every day to keep our community safe — this is something we can do to honour them and the memory of their fellow officers who have fallen in the line of duty.”
The Herald Sun revealed last year Minogue was gearing up for freedom after being shifted to a pre-release jail, Loddon Prison near Bendigo. It is unclear if he would be returned to a maximum security jail if the new law is passed.
Minogue remains a suspect in the disappearance and murder of 13-year-old Prue Bird in 1992. Investigators believe he gave the order for her to be killed in revenge for her grandmother being in a relationship with a key bombing prosecution witness, Paul Hetzel.
Minogue was convicted of the murder of standover man Alex Tsakmakis early in his Russell St jail term, but did not serve any extra time because of laws at the time.
The government earlier this year said release decisions were the Adult Parole Board’s responsibility.
But, in the past month, it has announced a series of law and order policies to cut the perception it was soft on crime. This week, it has promised to recruit 2729 new police and rewrite youth justice laws.
Mr Guy warned if the government didn’t act quickly, Minogue could have a parole hearing in January, before parliament reconvened.
“I would have thought keeping Craig Minogue behind bars is an issue that all Victorians want to pursue,” he said.
Opposition corrections spokesman Edward O’Donohue said Mr Andrews “has been forced to play catch-up on community safety”.
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