Tuesday, 18 June 2024

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Age of criminal responsibility

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (13:25): (557) My question is to the Attorney-General. On 11 March 2024 a spokesperson from your department said to the Age:

We have always said that we would be raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 by 2027, accompanied by alternative services that keep young people held to account and out of the justice system – that hasn’t changed …

Do you stand by this timeline?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (13:25): I thank Mr Mulholland for his question. No change.

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (13:25): Data published this week revealed that young people aged between 12 and 14 breached bail 572 times, many breaking their bail conditions through violent crime. If the law is changed to raise the age of criminal responsibility, many of these young people may not be charged and convicted of crimes in the first place and would face no consequences for their actions. Will you still proceed with your ill-conceived plan to raise the age of criminal responsibility and put the safety of Victorians at risk?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (13:26): Mr Mulholland, this would have been much better as your substantive question, because it would have given me an opportunity of more than 1 minute to respond. Today landmark legislation is going to be introduced into the Parliament in relation to a brand new youth justice act. You are asking me about a proposal for 2027 –

Evan Mulholland: You said your position hasn’t changed.

Jaclyn SYMES: Well, it has not, because what will happen with the youth justice act, what will happen with the approach to intensive bail in relation to electronic monitoring, youth justice workers – a different response – is all about responding to the very issues that you have talked about. You cannot sit here and go, ‘What happens if you go to 14 now?’ because we have admitted that that is why you would not do it now – because you need to have the services, the programs and the whole justice system working towards –

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Jaclyn SYMES: I will take up your interjection, Ms Crozier. We have the lowest youth offending rate in the country. We have a select cohort that we are responding to, and we are in this chamber time and time again telling you about those initiatives.