Opposition urge Premier Daniel Andrews to keep Russell St bomber Craig Minogue behind bars

RUSSELL St bomber Craig Minogue would be kept behind bars for life under a plan by the State Opposition.

A new picture of killer and Russell Street bomber Craig Minogue which was uploaded to his personal website.

RUSSELL St bomber Craig Minogue would be kept behind bars for life under a plan by the State Opposition.

Minogue has been in jail since 1986, the year of the horrific attack which killed young police officer Angela Taylor and injured 21 other people.

He recently applied for parole, prompting the Opposition to urge Premier Daniel Andrews to introduce special laws which would keep Minogue in prison, as the former government did to stop the release of mass murderer Julian Knight.

“Craig Minogue should not be released from prison and it’s up to Daniel Andrews to ensure that he isn’t,” Opposition corrections spokesman Edward O’Donohue said.

“Craig Minogue has committed heinous murders and inflicted enormous trauma on the Victorian community.”

“A future (Matthew) Guy government would ensure that Craig Minogue is kept behind bars.”

Mr Andrews was asked in Parliament if he would move to legislate to block Minogue’s bid for freedom.

He said it was “a very serious matter” but that the Adult Parole Board had “greater clarity” now to prioritise community safety in deciding whether to release criminals.

“I’m always prepared to look at these matters and monitor them closely,” Mr Andrews said.

“But I am drawn to the fact that the obligations of the Parole Board today are perhaps a little clearer than they might have been five years ago or ten years ago.”

“It is a matter of law, a matter of policy and a matter of expectation in this government ... that community safety is the number one condition ... if and when the Parole Board were to deal with an application made by Mr Craig Minogue.”

The Herald Sun revealed late last year Minogue had been transferred to medium security Loddon Prison, a jail used inmates nearing release.

Former Russell St investigators and police injured in the atrocity have previously expressed concerns about the release of Minogue.

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