The State Labor Government's new youth justice reform is a pale imitation of Queensland's Making Queensland Safer (Adult Crime, Adult Time) laws, offering headlines instead of substance.
But it will alarm Victorians to learn that beneath the borrowed name, the core of Queensland's policy has been stripped away.
Reports state Victoria intends to make just eight crimes 'significant offences':
- Aggravated home invasion
- Home invasion
- Intentionally causing injury in circumstances of gross violence (includes machete crime)
- Recklessly causing injury in circumstances of gross violence (includes machete crime)
- Aggravated carjacking
- Carjacking
- Aggravated burglary (serious and repeated)
- Armed robbery (serious and repeated)
The Queensland laws designated 33 crimes 'significant offences':
- Accessory after the fact to murder
- Acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm
- Arson
- Assault with intent to commit rape
- Assaulting a pregnant person and killing, or doing grievous bodily harm to, or transmitting a serious disease to the unborn child
- Attempt to commit rape
- Attempt to murder
- Attempted robbery, if the circumstance in subsection (2) (armed or in company) or (3) (armed and with violence) applies
- Break and enter premises
- Burglary
- Damaging emergency vehicle when operating motor vehicle
- Dangerous operations of a motor vehicle
- Deprivation of liberty
- Endangering particular property by fire
- Endangering police officer when driving motor vehicle
- Going armed so as to cause fear
- Grievous bodily harm
- Kidnapping
- Kidnapping for ransom
- Manslaughter
- Murder
- Rape
- Robbery
- Serious assault
- Sexual assault, if the circumstance in subsection (2) (involving any part of the mouth) or (3) (while armed, in company, or involving penetration) applies
- Stealing, if item 12 (a vehicle) or 14 (a firearm for use in another indictable offence) applies
- Threatening violence
- Torture
- Trafficking in dangerous drugs
- Unlawful entry of a vehicle
- Unlawful striking causing death
- Unlawful use of a motor vehicle
- Wounding
Shadow Attorney General, James Newbury, said: "Fixing Victoria's crime crisis takes more than a cheap imitation of real reform. Labor's announcement is designed for headlines, not outcomes."
"When you look at what Labor's left out, it's staggering - home invasion gets tougher penalties, but rape doesn't. Why?"
"The Premier has no credibility when it comes to fighting crime and Victorians can't trust her 'adult time for violent crime' to deliver what she promises."
"It's time for a fresh start - only a Liberals and Nationals government will deliver a safer, stronger Victoria where families live free from fear."
