Allan govt strikes down Coalition push to ban IVF treatment for prisoners after murderer Alicia Schiller approved for treatment

The Allan government has struck down an opposition bid to ban prisoners from gaining access to IVF, after a decision to greenlight a murderer’s release from jail to access the treatment sparked uproar.

• Orphaned son’s horror at jailed killer’s IVF bid

The Allan has government struck down the opposition’s bid to strip prisoners of their right to access IVF.

The Victorian Coalition introduced a private members bill calling for all prisoners to be stripped of access to IVF but it was struck down in the lower house on Thursday.

The Supreme Court was responsible for granting prisoners access to IVF. The state government, however, could change the law to block inmates from accessing the service.

The move comes after the Herald Sun revealed convicted murderer Alicia Schiller, who stabbed a mother to death over $50, had been given the green light to be released from a Victorian maximum security prison to undergo IVF treatment.

That has sparked widespread outrage with the orphaned son of Schiller’s victim slamming the decision and labelling his mum’s killer “an animal”.

Opposition police spokesman Brad Battin released an online petition on Thursday calling for Victorians to pressure the Allan government to “reverse this decision and respect the victim’s family”.

“The Allan Labor government have granted special leave for a convicted killer, who murdered her victim in the same house as the victim’s four-year-old child,” he wrote.

“The convicted murderer wants to raise the child in prison until they are 5 years old, before handing it to her mother to raise until she is released.

“It is time for the Allan Labor government to put victims first.”

Jailed Murderer Alicia Schiller has been approved to for IVF treatment. Picture: Mark Stewart

Tyrelle Evertsen-Mostert was stabbed to death over $50. Picture: 7News

Earlier, Mr Battin said the bill would ensure anyone jailed in Victoria was unable to commence IVF or assisted reproductive treatment (ART) treatment

“We don’t care if it’s self-funded, we don’t care who’s funded it at all, what we’re saying is it’s simply not right,” Mr Battin said.

Responding to the Coalition’s proposed ban, Victorian Corrections Minister Enver Erdogan said he was wary of unintended consequences.

“I think prisoners accessing medical treatment is important in terms of especially having a rehabilitative correctional system, so we don’t want any unintended consequences, especially in situations where people may have … previously had IVF treatment that may have complications later on whilst they in custody,” he said.

Mr Erdogan said he was awaiting advice from the Justice Department about distinguishing Schiller’s case from another in 2010 in which a prisoner in minimum security was allowed to continue IVF.

“I’m awaiting that advice, but that case, in relation to the IVF treatment in 2010 was clear that it is medical treatment that falls under Section 47 of the Corrections Act,” he said.

Victorian shadow minister for crime prevention Brad Battin. Picture: Aaron Francis

Premier Jacinta Allan on Thursday said her thoughts are with the victim’s family who “continue to grieve the loss of their loved one, (and) the loss of opportunities as a result of the crime that was committed”.

“I can understand the depth of feeling in this issue and advice is being sought,” she said.

Ms Allan said the costs of raising children in custody comes out of an operational budget of Corrections Victoria.

She said this was a longstanding practice across both Labor and Liberal governments.

Ms Allan said the government was unlikely to support Mr Battin’s private members Bill.