Tuesday, 9 December 2025

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:06): (1181) My question is to the Minister for Corrections. Theo Briggs, a sex offender released under a government-approved supervision order, racked up convictions for violating terms of his supervision order. These include drug possession, accessing violent pornographic material, assaults, threats to kill and possession of a firearm. How was Mr Briggs able to commit these serious offences under this government’s supervision?

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (12:07): I thank Mrs McArthur for her question and her interest in our corrections system. From the outset let me just express that violent offending must be condemned in the strongest possible terms wherever it occurs, and my thoughts are with the victims of those crimes.

Mrs McArthur, you would appreciate that it is not my role and not appropriate to comment on individual cases, especially cases that are being determined by courts or are being investigated by police and the courts. But what I will say is that our post-sentence system is a vital part of our justice system. The scheme is designed to provide monitoring supervision for the most dangerous offenders, and without this scheme these offenders would be released into the community after completing their sentences without any supervision at all. Courts are the arbitrator in terms of deciding the conditions that are placed on people whilst they are on these orders – where they reside – as is appropriate. Where there are breaches, there is compliance conducted by corrections, the Post Sentence Authority, and most importantly, Victoria Police have a specialist team that do respond. That example you have provided is a case in which police have responded, charges have been laid and there are court decisions at hand, and in many instances people do return to custody for breaching those orders.

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:08): Well, thank you, Minister, but you are responsible for the corrections system and you are responsible for your offenders. So, Minister, how many times has a person under a supervision order for sexual assaults reoffended in Victoria since 2014?

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (12:09): I thank Mrs McArthur for her supplementary question. Mrs McArthur, as I outlined in my answer to your substantive question, where there is noncompliance, there is swift action. Police have a dedicated specialist team that responds. In the case that you referred to, for example, they were swift in pressing charges and making sure that the offender was placed into a custodial setting. That is the common practice –

Bev McArthur: On a point of order, President, I asked how many times for sexual assaults anybody had reoffended in Victoria since 2014 when under a supervision order. I did not ask about how you process it. How many? It is a very simple question.

The PRESIDENT: Mrs McArthur, I have got your point of order. I did have a couple of concerns, but I was happy to put it to the minister in terms of our rulings before – not just from me but from previous presidents as well – about expecting a minister to know a certain level of detail which would seem a bit unrealistic. The other thing that concerns me is that I do not believe the minister was the corrections minister in 2014. With all due respect, I am not too sure when he became the corrections minister or whether he was responsible for that period of time as well. I will let the minister continue, but I put on the record my concerns around this question, and the minister can answer as he sees fit.

Enver ERDOGAN: Thank you, President, for your guidance. In terms of that level of detail, Mrs McArthur, you would appreciate that I do not have that at hand. What I can confirm is that people on these orders have served the sentences that are on these orders. These orders are set by courts. There is strong compliance, and where there is noncompliance, my expectation is that community safety be prioritised and law enforcement and the courts take appropriate action.