Victorian Labor government denies having no money for bail reform

Victoria’s Allan Labor government has denied it rejected a plan by the state’s former top cop to strengthen bail laws due to insufficient funds.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling

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Victoria’s Allan Labor government has denied it rejected a plan by the state’s former top cop to strengthen bail laws and tackle surging crime rates due to insufficient funds.

Just two weeks before he was ousted, former Victoria Police chief commissioner Shane Patton lobbied the government to adopt a seven-point plan, which included limiting accused offenders to a maximum of three sets of bail, The Herald Sun reported.

The government denied reports a senior official told Mr Patton it could not implement the proposal because it lacked money. “That is ridiculous,” minister Steve Dimopoulos said on Tuesday. “We have never not ­accepted police advice based on cost.”

The reports come as government faces increased pressure to tackle escalating crime rates and strengthen bail laws to crack down on repeat offenders.

The government is undertaking a review of the state’s bail legislation, which Premier ­Jacinta Allan ordered in the lead up to the Werribee by-election in February after conceding her government needed to do more to protect the community.

Ahead of Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, Mr Dimopoulos rejected reports the government had ruled out implementing Mr Patton’s plan. “The Premier has said nothing is off the table,” he said.

“The current level of concern in the community and the fact that so many people don’t feel safe is totally unacceptable.

“The Attorney-General and the Police Minister will be coming to cabinet shortly with the proposed response.”

Mr Patton – who had reportedly pushed back against the government’s decision to water down bail laws in 2023 – presented the government with his plan just two weeks before he was informed it would not renew his contract as Victoria Police’s chief commissioner.

This was despite Police Minister Anthony Carbines indicating his support for Mr Patton’s second term two weeks earlier.

At the time, Ms Allan attributed the decision to an overwhelming vote of no confidence in Mr Patton by police union members, which she said “simply couldn’t be ignored”.

Opposition police spokesman David Southwick said it was clear the government had thrown Mr Patton under a bus.

“Jacinta Allan doesn’t listen. Ultimately anybody that puts up ideas is told to shut up and leave, and that’s what’s happened here,” Mr Southwick said.

Opposition legal affairs spokesman Michael O’Brien said the government had the wrong priorities.

“They can find $600m to cancel the Commonwealth Games, but they can’t find money to strengthen bail laws,” he said. “If keeping Victorians safe means having more dangerous people held on remand, then that’s what a government should do. They penny pinch over safety and they waste money when it suits.”

Mr O’Brien said Mr Patton’s proposal was a “good start” but reforms needed to go further.

“You shouldn’t get two free goes at crime before you face remand. If it’s serious enough, you should be facing remand on the very first charge,” he said.