Thursday, 30 November 2023

Stalking law reform

Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (18:48): (654) This is my last opportunity of the year to speak in this chamber. This week I was very happy to see the bill pass to make sure that Denyer the serial killer never walks the streets again. I spoke with some of Nat’s family after the bill was passed, and they said that it was just amazing to see that things changed just like that – years of pressure and years of that stress gone in a minute.

I want to acknowledge that for those that have lost loved ones this coming month is going to be a difficult time. When you have lost loved ones, the pain that you feel and the grief that you feel is more acute during times when everyone else is celebrating, so I want to use this opportunity to bring up for one last time the inquiry that was done into stalking laws. Another family that I will be thinking of at this time of year is Celeste Manno’s family. I think of her mum Aggie, for whom on this Christmas Day there will be one empty seat at her table. I ask that in the new year the Premier and the government make sure that it is an absolute priority that we look at and address those 45 recommendations that were made by the Victorian Law Reform Commission to strengthen Victoria’s stalking laws.