Key parts of Jacinta Allan’s promised bail crackdown won’t be introduced until later this year

Crucial elements of Jacinta Allan’s promised bail crackdown will not be introduced to parliament this week, meaning some of the new measures might not come into effect until much later this year.

Key parts of Jacinta Allan’s promised bail crackdown will not be introduced to parliament this week.

It has been revealed the government will instead introduce new laws across two different bills, meaning some promised new measures might not come into effect until much later this year.

They include a new bail test for repeat offenders that promised to make it harder for serial offenders to be released back onto the streets.

Instead that measure will be addressed in a second bill the government says will be introduced in the middle of the year.

The move has sparked criticism from the state opposition that the government has reneged on its promise to immediately deal with the crime crisis.

Victorians are fed up with violent crime such as home invasions. Picture: Supplied

Key parts of Jacinta Allan’s bail crackdown will be delayed. Picture: Jason Edwards

Shadow Attorney-General Michael O’Brien said the government hadn’t been upfront about its plans to split the reforms into two bills, warning that only a handful of the changes would have an immediate effect.

“Most of them are going to be kicked down the road,” Mr O’Brien said.

“The Attorney-General in the bill briefing (on Tuesday morning) said ‘oh we made clear last week there was going to be two bills’. It missed me, I think it missed most of you.

“This is a government absolutely driven by panic. They make promises they can’t deliver on and this is why the government is now kicking the can down the road.”

The first tranche of legislation was formally introduced into parliament at noon on Tuesday.

Mr O’Brien said the opposition wouldn’t block or stall the legislation but would attempt to strengthen it by making amendments in the upper house.

“It doesn’t go nearly far enough,” he said.

“This is still a weak bill. They are still weak bail laws and they still won’t keep Victorians as safe as Victorians deserve to be.”

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It comes after the Allan government launched a blistering attack on Mr O’Brien after he cut short a briefing on the tough new bail laws.

In a heated press conference on Tuesday morning, Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny refused to answer multiple questions about what time on Monday she provided a copy of the legislation to the opposition.

“It is not relevant what time — what is relevant is that I provided an early opportunity to brief the opposition (on the bill),” she said.

It is standard practice for non-government MPs to be provided legislation before a bill briefing so they have an opportunity to read the material and then ask clarifying questions.

Mr O’Brien said the government didn’t send out a copy of the legislation until 6pm on Monday night, hours after the planned 3.30pm briefing.

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Ms Kilkenny said she offered Mr O’Brien another briefing on Monday night but claimed he declined due to having dinner plans.

Mr O’Brien later said he had a function to attend and then wanted to spend the evening reading the legislation.

Ms Kilkenny said the opposition had questions to answer as to why they had refused to engage in Monday’s meeting.

“The opposition chose not to participate in the briefing,” she said.

“He (Mr O’Brien) chucked an absolute tantrum on the briefing. It was embarrassing. His colleagues were attending the briefing. They were interested in hearing what is included in this bail bill.”

Ms Allan criticised journalists for asking repeated questions of her and Ms Kilkenny about what time the government’s legislation was finalised.

“The Victorian community who would be observing this right now would be mightily dismayed that the focus isn’t on them and keeping the community safe — that’s what my priority is,” she said.

Originally published as Key parts of Jacinta Allan’s promised bail crackdown won’t be introduced until later this year