Victoria's community legal sector is deeply concerned with new police powers proposed by the Victorian Government.
Introduced as last-minute amendments in the Legislative Council to the Crimes Amendment (Recruitment of Children for Criminal Activity) Bill 2026, which has already passed the Legislative Assembly, the new powers would allow police to access a person's financial records without obtaining a judicial warrant.
The proposed powers would apply to all indictable offences - not just those related to organised crime that are the subject of the bill before parliament, or even limited to serious financial offending - and can be exercised in complete secrecy with police expressly permitted not to notify anyone before seeking to obtain their financial information.
Quotes attributable to Federation of Community Legal Centres CEO Louisa Gibbs:
"Handing police unchecked access to Victorians' personal financial information should be a matter for serious debate.
"To introduce this proposal so late at night as an amendment to an unrelated bill is frightening.
"The proposed powers will allow police to authorise themselves to obtain information without notification to the person who holds the bank account without a warrant.
"The process of independent judicial consideration before granting police a warrant is an important check that our community expects and deserves.
"Removing this step presents an unacceptable risk to the rights of all Victorians and this amendment should be immediately withdrawn."
