Justice - Parliament of Victoria

Law change for victim-survivors of institutional child abuse

Justice | 27 February 2026

Institutions including the Catholic Church in Victoria can now be sued for the actions of employees or similar, such as priests and other clergy.

Victoria expands legal definition of family violence

Justice | 23 February 2026

Reforms passed by the Victorian Parliament have broadened the legal definition of family violence to now capture behaviours such as stalking and systems abuse.

Increased penalties for abusing frontline workers

Justice | 12 December 2025

Parliament has passed legislation aimed at curbing violence and abuse against customer-facing workers in retail, hospitality, fast food, and passenger transport sectors.

Apology to First Peoples motion passes Parliament

Justice | 9 December 2025

The Parliament has passed a motion apologising to First Peoples and acknowledging past injustice in a sitting of the Legislative Assembly to which Legislative Council members were invited.

Laws to combat organised crime debated

Justice | 3 October 2024

The Legislative Assembly has debated a law aimed at cracking down on organised crime and bikie gangs in Victoria.

Bill proposes forensic medicine governance overhaul

Justice | 22 August 2024

The Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) governance is set to be updated under a bill before Parliament.

Parliament debates raising age of criminal responsibility

Justice | 8 August 2024

The Youth Justice Bill 2024 will go to the Legislative Council for debate, after passing the lower house without amendment last sitting week.

Bill aims to improve Parliament's standards

Justice | 26 June 2024

A bill debated in the Legislative Assembly last week will create an integrity commission to investigate MPs for inappropriate workplace behaviour.

Law to restrict machete use passes parliament

Justice | 27 March 2024

The Legislative Council has debated and agreed to a bill designed to restrict the use of machetes as weapons.

Builders insurance legislation reaches Legislative Council

Justice | 19 February 2024

Proposed laws which punish builders for not taking out domestic building insurance have reached the upper house.

Upper house debates cannabis reforms

Justice | 13 December 2023

The Legislative Council debated measures that would allow adults to legally possess small quantities of marijuana for personal use during the final sitting week of the year.

‘Joy’s Law’ on non-fatal strangulation debated

Justice | 22 November 2023

Now a bill to create two new stand-alone non-fatal strangulation offences will go the the Legislative Council for consideration after being passed by the Legislative Assembly.

Bill prepares the way for cannabis driving trial

Justice | 6 November 2023

A bill to support a trial assessing the effects of medicinal cannabis on driving behaviour will go to the Legislative Council for consideration after passing the Legislative Assembly last week.