Tuesday, 5 May 2026

 Juliana ADDISON (Wendouree) (19:13): (1644) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Attorney General. The action I seek is for the Attorney to visit my electorate of Wendouree and speak directly with my community about community safety, law reform and how this government is making life easier, simpler and safer for local families. Community safety matters to the people in my electorate of Wendouree and across Ballarat. They want to know that their government is serious about holding violent offenders to account while also investing in the early intervention needed to prevent crime before it starts. That is exactly what the Allan Labor government is delivering. Through this year’s budget we are continuing significant investment in our courts, ensuring cases are heard faster, victims are not left waiting and justice is delivered efficiently, because safer communities depend on a justice system that works. We are also backing our nation-leading violence reduction unit with a $33 million investment to deliver local initiatives that tackle the root causes of youth crime and steer young people away from a life of violence before harm occurs.

Importantly, our government has been listening to Victorians, and we are acting. We have already delivered tougher bail laws for alleged high-harm repeat offenders; adult time for violent crime, ensuring seriously violent young offenders face consequences equal to the harm they cause; new ‘post and boast’ offences targeting criminals who publicly brag about certain offending; new offences for assaulting workers, those who protect us and serve our community; and new offences for serious vilification, sending a clear message that hate has no place in Victoria. We have also changed the law so that community safety is the overarching principle in sentencing decisions by judges, because that is what matters to Victorians.

The people of Wendouree would welcome the opportunity to hear directly from the Attorney-General about this work, about the reforms already delivered and about how our government will continue to keep our community safe. That is why I ask the Attorney-General to visit Wendouree and engage with my community on these important issues. I look forward to welcoming her to Wendouree.