‘Too late for so many’: Outspoken influencer Bec Judd’s call on Victorian bail reform

Outspoken influencer Rebecca Judd has lashed the Victorian government for failing to act earlier as the state vows to bring in the “toughest bail laws” in the country.

Outspoken influencer Rebecca Judd has lashed the Victorian government’s pledge to bring in the country’s toughest bail laws as “too late for many” after repeatedly raising concerns about crime for years.

On Wednesday, Premier Jacinta Allan promised a new legal system shake-up will “jolt the system” to prevent reoffending and keep residents safe.

But shortly after the announcement, the former AFL WAG and businesswoman shared an image of an almost three-year-old news article where former Premier Dan Andrews was dismissive of her concerns.

Mr Andrews said at the time that “the data would tell a different story” in a response to Ms Judd’s concerns little was being done to address crime in her affluent Bayside area.

“Gee this aged well,” Ms Judd said in the social media post.

“Imagine the lives that could’ve been saved. Imagine the terror experienced by so many Victorians that could’ve been stopped if the Dictator (sic) had acted when I called this out.

“Today Jacinta Allan has announced the toughest bail laws in the country. Yes it is too late for so many but it is a start.”

Rebecca Judd has responded to the Victorian Government's pledge to reform bail laws. Picture: Instagram/ Bec Judd.

Bec Judd has been outspoken on crime for years. Picture: Supplied.

Since 2022, Ms Judd has used her platform to demand action to tackle crime in Melbourne, declaring she feels unsafe in the city.

Under the sweeping proposed charges, jail will no longer be treated as a last resort for youth offenders following a spike in crime across Victoria.

Crime data has revealed recorded offences in the state rose from 510,226 to 578,762 (13 per cent) between 2023 and 2024 across the state, while the total number of residential aggravated burglaries recorded rose from 5587 to 6927 (24 per cent) across the same period.

The number of aggravated robberies also rose by 27 per cent from 671 to 850 between 2023 and 2024, while knife crime has long been flagged as a major issue across the state.

However the state’s prison rates have declined by 8 per cent within that same period, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The Victorian government announced the crackdown on bail access on Wednesday as part of a suite of new measures to address the increase in crime.

Machetes are also set to be banned as part of the crackdown.

The harsher bail laws would apply to both adults and youths charged with serious crimes, including carjacking and home invasions.

Prison rates in Victoria declined by eight per cent between 2023 and 2024. Picture: NewsWire

Community safety will be the key factor in bail decision making for offenders of all ages, with custody no longer a “last resort” for youth offenders.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described it as the “toughest bail laws ever”.

“Our tough bail laws will jolt the system — putting community safety above all, creating the toughest bail laws ever, and ensuring bail rules are respected,” Ms Allan said.

The new measures would also once again make it a crime to commit indictable offences while on bail and introduce a test under which offenders would need to show “compelling reasons” or “exceptional circumstances” to justify bail depending on the seriousness of the offence.

The test, aimed at repeat offenders of serious crimes, is understood to be hard to pass.

Bail also can’t be granted to someone already on bail for a similar serious offence unless proven there’s a “high degree of probability” they won’t reoffend.

Breaching bail conditions will also again become an offence under the new measures.

Ms Allan said it’s time “there be respect put back into our system” while speaking at a press conference on Wednesday.

“Respect for the rules, which is why the consequences for breaking the rules whilst on bail is a key plank in the reforms that we are introducing here today,” Ms Allan said.

“There will be consequences if you offend whilst on bail. These laws are targeted squarely at this repeat offending.

“They’re also tough new bail laws that have its primary focus on keeping Victorians safe.”

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the change would mark the ‘toughest bail laws ever’. Picture: NewsWire / Valeriu Campan

She said the new laws were announced in “response to listening to the concerns of the Victorian community”.

“It is absolutely clear to me and the Victorian community the current laws are not just not meeting community expectation, they are not dealing with this repeat pattern of offending we are seeing across our community,” Ms Allan said.

She earlier detailed the changes while speaking on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev and Nick on Wednesday morning.

“We are putting community safety first and foremost. We are reversing the change where remand or bail was seen as a last resort for youth offending,” Ms Allan told the program.

“We’re bringing in tougher tests … aggravated home invasions and car jackings – the tests haven’t been tough enough.”

The tougher tests are set to ensure “community safety is not at risk should someone be granted bail”.

“That’s a really important change, it’s flipping the system and putting a jolt through the system to put community safety front-and-centre,” she said.

Victorian Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny earlier said the laws were “targeted squarely at the risks of young people committing serious crime while out on bail”.

“No one wants to see kids on remand, but we know there are young offenders and other offenders out there who are committing the very worst types of crime that is driving community fear,” Ms Kilkenny said at a press conference on Wednesday.

“These reforms, these laws will come into place to drive down reoffending … we expect remand rates to go up as a consequence of this, but this is important.

“This is about responding to community, it is about addressing the risk that are posed by these young offenders in particular who are causing serious harm through serious high risk offending.”

The Tough Bail Bill is set to be introduced into parliament next Tuesday.

Originally published as ‘Too late for so many’: Outspoken influencer Bec Judd’s call on Victorian bail reform