Premier Daniel Andrews offers apology to loved ones of sadistic killer Paul Denyer’s victims

The heartbroken father of one of Paul Denyer’s victims has shot down the Premier’s offer of a personal apology, saying he believes the Andrews government has sided with the serial killer.

Denyer was jailed for life in 1993 for the murders of Elizabeth Stevens, Debbie Fream and Natalie Russell.

Daniel Andrews has offered a personal apology and the promise of a sit-down meeting to the family and friends of Paul Denyer’s victims.

The Premier blamed “the system” for failing to support the families during the sadistic killer’s recent parole application.

But Natalie Russell’s father, Brian Russell, said he has no interest in meeting the Premier, saying it was too late for an apology.

“He’s had chances and all we’ll get is some more BS from him,” he said on 3AW.

Mr Russell, who said he was previously a supporter of Daniel Andrews, accused the Labor leader of a “backflip”.

“I think he can go bugger it,” he said.

“He’s totally lost me on this.

“He said that the parole board are doing such a marvellous job that they could keep on doing it and now he’s done a backflip.”

The Andrews government on Wednesday voted with four Greens MPs and two pro-Cannabis MPs to block an opposition bill that would keep Denyer before bars forever.

Mr Russell said he believed the government had sided with Denyer over his grieving family by voting down the bill.

“That’s something I can’t really understand,” he said, adding that he would like the parliament to reconsider the legislation.

“I think about these people and how they went home and faced their families after voting in a way that is allowing a serial killer to have more applications for parole.”

Brian Russell, the father of Natalie Russell, says he has no interest in meeting the Premier. Picture: Ian Currie

Mr Russell said the family would not be able to stomach a parole application every five years, as proposed under the government’s reform.

“That’s no good. We don’t want to go through this every five years,” he said.

“Carmel and I are at an age where we might not make it to another five years, and that leaves it to the kids to go through all this which is just not right.

“It’s got to finish at some stage.

“It’s taken its toll on all of us. I’m not shaping up too well.”

Mr Russell said he had not been contacted by the Parole Board throughout the application process.

The Department of Justice notified the family that Denyer had applied for parole.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s been a total mystery (including) the people that are on the parole board or how it works,” he said.

Ms Russell’s sister, Lisa, said it was “disturbing” to sit in the gallery of the upper house and watch half of the room vote against this rule.

“We knew this was going to happen,” she said.

But Mr Andrews rejected suggestions that his government sided with a serial killer over grieving families.

“I wouldn’t agree with that assessment but I understand and appreciate that there’s a lot of pain when it comes to these issues and there’s a burden of grief that people carry with them every day,” he said.

Loved ones of murdered schoolgirl Natalie Russell attended Victorian parliament on Wednesday to watch on as 19 MPs voted against keeping the killer locked up.

They said it was “one of the worst days of our lives”, and said the government’s alternative parole reform appeared to be rushed.

The government only flagged its new laws one day before the opposition’s bill in the upper house was due to be debated.

Liberal Democrat MP David Limbrick, who was Natalie Russell’s boyfriend at the time, and Karen, Natalie’s friend, are devastated by the defeat of the bill. Picture: David Crosling

Mr Andrews said the proposed laws were not created on the fly, claiming there had been “constant communication” with the family.

“I’m not here to have a debate or an argument in any way,” he said.

“All I can do is apologise to those family members for the fact that throughout the last few months, when the system should have been supporting them through what is an incredibly challenging time, the system failed them. That’s wrong. I personally apologise for that.

“I am horrified at the thought, while the rest of us were clear that there was very little chance that he would be given parole, those who have the most at stake, those who carry this terrible burden of grief and loss everyday, had somehow become convinced that he was going to get out.

“That is just unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable. It’s not a criticism of them in any way. It’s a criticism of a system that didn’t provide them with information, clarity and support.

“It is beyond frustrating that despite the fact the system has had 30 years to plan and support these families for the day when a parole application was heard, it seems that support was not there.”

Daniel Andrews has offered a personal apology and the promise of a sit-down meeting to the family and friends of Paul Denyer’s victims. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Mr Andrews said he did not meet with the family while they were at parliament on Wednesday but revealed he was open to having a sit down meeting with them.

This is despite family members having previously accused him of lying about his willingness to meet, claiming the Premier’s office repeatedly ignored their requests.

On Wednesday, Mr Andrews said: “We are trying to set up a date where I might meet with them, as well.

“I’m more than happy to take them through step by step what the government intends to do,” he said.

Mr Andrews said he remained confident the government’s proposal to introduce a five or 10-year parole application buffer was a better solution than drawing up one-man laws, as put forward by the opposition.

“I’m not expecting people to necessarily be pleased about this, but these are the facts — every time we do a one-man law, we are closer and closer to inviting the High Court into this space,” he said.

“There’s a pain in that because it won’t be quick. It will take a long time and it will re-traumatise families over and over and over again. That’s if you got the judgment you wanted. If you got the judgment you don’t want, then many things that are now certain, become completely uncertain. We don’t want that.”

Mr Andrews said the government would work to reform the adult parole system during the five-week winter break from parliament.

“In the meantime, that offender is going nowhere,” he said.

“That evil perpetrator is where he belongs.

“The better way is for the opposition, if they are about the outcome rather than the politics, then they will accept the now-two invitations that we have extended to them to be involved in developing new adult parole laws for the worst of the worst.”