Victoria Announces Sweeping Bail Law Reforms to Address Rising Crime

The Victorian government plans to implement stricter bail laws, prioritizing community safety and targeting repeat offenders of serious crimes.

Under the proposed changes, courts will no longer treat remand for youth offenders as a last resort, shifting the focus to community safety in bail decisions.
The reforms include a new bail test requiring repeat offenders of serious crimes to prove a high probability of not reoffending to secure release.
The government will reintroduce offenses for breaching bail conditions and committing indictable crimes while on bail, reversing previous legislative changes.
A statewide ban on machetes is part of the reform package, following multiple violent incidents involving the weapon in recent months.
The reforms have drawn mixed reactions, with support from police and victims' groups but criticism from legal, human rights, and First Nations advocates over potential harm to vulnerable communities.