Greens and Legalise Cannabis MPs set to vote against law to keep Paul Denyer locked up for life

An opposition Bill that would prevent Frankston serial killer Paul Denyer from ever being released from jail may not win enough support in parliament.

A new law to keep serial killer Paul Denyer behind bars for life appears unlikely to win enough support in parliament.

An opposition Bill that would stop Denyer applying for parole unless he was facing death will be debated in the upper house on Wednesday.

The opposition needs the support of at least seven of the 12 crossbench MPs for the Bill to pass after the government ruled out supporting it.

If it is passed by the upper house, the government would come under increased pressure to support it in the lower house.

The proposal to stop Paul Denyer from ever being allowed to apply for parole will be debated in parliament.

However sources say the four Greens MPs and two Legalise Cannabis MPs plan to vote against it, meaning the Opposition won’t have enough support.

Liberal Democrat David Limbrick, independent Liberal MP Moira Deeming, Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell and One Nation’s Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell all say they will support the Bill.

“I do support the Bill to keep Paul Denyer locked up,” Ms Tyrrell said.

“He tortured, raped and murdered three young Victorian women.

“This monster robbed them of their future, inflicted a lifetime of heartache on their families and deserves nothing more than to be locked away from our society until his last breath.”

Daniel Andrews has ruled out support for the law, despite the government introducing an identical law to keep Russell St bomber Craig Minogue behind bars in 2018.

Denyer has been described by One Nation’s Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell as a ‘monster’.

Mr Andrews also supported a law to keep Hoddle St killer Julian Knight behind bars while he was opposition leader in 2014.

But he has said he has confidence in the Adult Parole Board, which last month denied Denyer’s bid for release.

He said he believed it “highly unlikely” the board would consider another parole application from Denyer.

However, under Victorian laws there is no limit to the number of times prisoners can apply for parole.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes last week met family and friends of Denyer’s victims to discuss their concerns.

Denyer was sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 30 years in 1993 for the Frankston murders of Elizabeth Anne-Marie Stevens, 18, mother Debbie Fream, 22, and schoolgirl Natalie Russell, 17.

Opposition Corrections spokesman Brad Battin said the government should not ignore the issue.

“Daniel Andrews must put politics aside and put the families of the victims of Paul Denyer first by ensuring he is never released from jail,” he said.

“The Liberals and Nationals stand ready for parliament to work as one to ensure this man is not only never released, but denied the opportunity to continue to torture the families.

“The legislation to be debated by the Victorian parliament this week will protect the rights of the families and ensure all women are safe in the knowledge Denyer will never get out.”