Jacinta Allan challenged to match Queensland Premier’s pledge to resign if crime crackdown doesn’t work

When Queensland’s Premier introduced “Adult Crime, Adult Time” legislation he pledged to resign if offending did not fall. Now, the sister of a murdered Melbourne doctor has called on Jacinta Allan to do the same.

Jacinta Allan has been challenged to match her Queensland counterpart and commit to standing down if soaring crime rates do not come down.

The challenge follows two days of commitments by the Allan government to introduce tougher sentences for violent criminals, including teenagers as young as 14.

The Premier has said the radical reforms, which include life in prison for some aggravated offences, will ensure teen thugs and their “puppet masters” face serious consequences.

Jacinta Allan has faced calls to stand down if soaring crime rates do not come down. Picture: Valeriu Campan

One new policy, Adult Crime for Violent Crime, follows Queensland Premier David Crisafulli introducing Adult Crime, Adult Time legislation in that state.

Mr Crisafulli promised to resign if crime did not fall when pledging the reform.

Ms Allan has now been urged her to make the same commitment as her northern counterpart and quit if the number of crime victims does not drop.

On Thursday, Natalie Gordon, the sister of slain doctor Ash Gordon, said if Ms Allan’s latest attempt the get the state’s crime crisis failed to deliver she needed to “hand it (leadership) over” to someone who can.

“Even if she does deliver, I still think she should stand down because she’s done a terrible job up until now,” Ms Gordon told the Herald Sun.

Natalie Gordon’s brother Ash was stabbed to death.

Ms Gordon, whose family has repeatedly requested to meet with the Premier, said “too many people have lost their lives” in Victoria due to the government’s reluctance to act on rising youth crime.

“Too many people were living in fear before she even decided to act, and she’s only acting now because she’s got an election coming up,” Ms Gordon said.

Premier Jacinta Allan was repeatedly asked if she would make the pledge on Thursday but refused, saying such a feat was “complex”.

“I am focused on and seeing this job through,” she said.

“I am focused on supporting those victims of crime.”

Opposition Leader Brad Battin said if he was successful at next year’s election and crime rates did not drop he would stand down.

“Over that four year term (if) we come into 2030 for the election and crime statistics have not come down, I will step down if we can’t keep Victorians safe,” he said.

Ms Gordon said she backed tougher sentences for the most violent offenders, but called for proposed minimum sentences to ensure offenders convicted of murder and other violent crimes spent a fixed period behind bars.

The Allan government on Thursday copped a grilling over why the reforms did not propose minimum sentences.

David Crisafulli pledged to resign if his crime crackdown — now copied by Victoria – did not work. Picture: John Gass

Instead they set out maximum sentences that critics argue are unlikely to be used.

Ms Allan said introducing mandatory minimum sentences for violent crimes would take too long.

“Bringing legislation into the parliament before the end of the year is acting now,” she said.

“Anyone who is proposing the alternative (mandatory minimum sentences) would see a much longer legislative drafting process or much more complex legislation,” she said.

“I’m focused on addressing the issue today.”

Under pressure Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny also revealed that not a single person had been convicted for recruiting a child to commit a crime under the current laws.

This is despite 32 people over the past four years – or eight a year – being charged with the offence.

“This is why we need to work so closely with Victoria Police, with the experts, with criminal intelligence organisations to address this new and evolving issue here in Victoria, nationally, but as we’re seeing, it’s happening around the world,” Ms Kilkenny said.

Shadow Attorney-General James Newbury said while the Coalition generally supported any laws that increase penalties for criminals, the government’s announcements were “totally and utterly fake”.

“There have been 32 occasions where someone has been identified and there has been no outcome,” he said.

The government will also look at holding tech giants to account, noting young children are being “groomed” across these platforms.

However, it was unclear how social media platforms, along with interstate crime gangs, would be held to account.