Push for laws to keep crims off social media

Criminals have for years used third parties to maintain an online voice, often tormenting their victims in the process. But Victoria is stepping up its bid to shut down some of its highest-profile crims.

Russell St bomber Craig Minogue.

Some of the state’s most notorious prisoners are facing a social media shutdown under tough new laws being considered today.

Victoria will today use high-level talks in Canberra to campaign for a national approach to keeping jailbirds off platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Criminals have for years used third parties to maintain an online voice, often tormenting their victims in the process.

Corrections Minister Ben Carroll will urge his interstate counterparts and Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter to join the Victorian push for a national crackdown.

Mr Carroll said he would call for uniform laws to ban outside communications posted in the name of prisoners.

Craig Minogue has — through an associate in West Australia — run a Twitter account.

“Posts in prisoners’ names can be distressing to victims of crime and can also threaten the security and good order of the prison system,” he said.

Two options for the tough new laws will be debated.

One is for a new federal criminal offence to be created, allowing authorities to go after third-party posters.

But if the commonwealth doesn’t get on board, Mr Carroll will push for each state to create its own individual laws.

Mr Carroll will speak at the corrective services ministers conference today.

Some of the biggest names in the state’s prisons have had social media accounts operated on their behalf over the years.

Russell Street bomber Craig Minogue has — through an associate in Western Australia — run a Twitter account and a website pushing his case for release.

He tweeted within minutes news that drug boss Tony Mokbel had been bashed in March this year.

Bourke St mass killer James Gargasoulas.

His access to an online voice has upset some of his victims over the years.

Carl Williams’ killer Matthew Charles Johnson and gangland figure Gavin Preston are among those who are believed to have controlled such pages.

It was revealed earlier this year that Bourke St mass killer James Gargasoulas wanted to set up a social media account to campaign for his release.

Victoria has already introduced measures which limit the ability of prisoners to have an online presence.

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New regulations introduced this year made it an offence for an inmate to organise internet posts via phone conversations, visits or letters.

They also prohibit communicating material contrary to the jail’s security or order, another prisoner’s safe custody or welfare or that of a victim.

Breaches can be punished by movement to a management unit or loss of privileges.

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