Thursday, 31 October 2019

 Mr CARROLL (Niddrie—Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (11:26): I rise to update the house on the latest initiatives to give victims of crime a meaningful voice in the criminal justice system through the practice of restorative justice. Last week at RMIT University I was pleased to launch a new restorative justice service called Open Circle. This will provide victims, offenders and others involved in motor vehicle collisions the opportunity to speak about the crime that affected them and for their story to be heard.

We know that victims want to have their say in the criminal justice system, and they want to be supported through that healing journey. The Andrews Labor government supports a range of restorative justice practices in the state of Victoria. We have youth justice group conferencing for victims of crime committed by young people, and as part of the 227 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence we are now trialling and implementing restorative justice programs for victims of family violence.

What is really good, though, is that the opposition just this week have come out in support of restorative justice. I welcome the speeches by the member for Gembrook and the member for Caulfield as well. I think it was a very good sign to see them come out and support restorative justice. I know the Premier was very tough on the member for Caulfield yesterday, but that was not half as tough as the opposition leader was when the member wrote a very good opinion piece recently in the Age newspaper calling for a greater role for education in the justice system.

Mr Andrews: And he was rebuked.

Mr CARROLL: He was rebuked, that is right, Premier, he was rebuked. The Age was wrong was how the Leader of the Opposition put it after the member for Caulfield’s very good opinion piece, but I encourage the member for Caulfield to continue writing his opinion pieces because we know he is doing a very good job.

But the confusion does not end there. Only last week the road trip with the member for Bulleen and the member for Kew was not all just about Brexit. They were also discussing 130 kilometres on freeways—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Is there a point of order?

Mr Wells: On a point of order, Speaker, this has been going on all week. We ask you to shut this down and to sit the minister down, because obviously he has nothing constructive to say about his portfolio and he should no longer be heard.

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister is going to come back to making a ministers statement.

Mr CARROLL: Just because you were not in the vehicle. But I welcome the member—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The house will come to order! Those on my right!

Mr Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, on what started on a very serious topic—and I am going to say was very well put forward by the minister and raised some issues in relation to restorative justice—for him to downgrade that and to try to make a joke of it—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Racing!

Mr Battin: And when he does make that joke, the only issue that I have is we are the ones that get the warning for actually retaliating to it. It is your role, it is your position to ensure that they do not continue down this path. And I ask you, as Speaker, to do that. Use the standing orders and make sure they do not do that, or sit them down.

The SPEAKER:I thank member for Gembrook for his point of order. I did ask the minister to come back to making a ministers statement.

Mr CARROLL: While those opposite argue about themselves and get new haircuts for Spring Street, we will continue getting on with the job of looking after—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! There is no need for a point of order, the minister has concluded his statement.

Mr Wells: On a further point of order, Speaker, he needs to be thrown out for an hour.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The house will come to order.

Mr R Smith: On the point of order, Speaker, the minister flouted your ruling three times. If one of us did that, we would be out. Three times in a row in the space of probably 20 seconds.

The SPEAKER: The member for Warrandyte can resume his seat.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier is warned. I thank the Manager of Opposition Business for providing his advice. The minister has concluded his statement. I am looking for a fifth question in question time.