Thursday, 19 February 2026

 Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (18:25): (2338) My adjournment tonight is to the Attorney-General, and the action I seek is that she decriminalise begging in Victoria by repealing the offence of begging or gathering alms in the Summary Offences Act 1966. This is a poverty law that does not solve homelessness or keep anyone safer. It just drags people who are already doing it tough deeper into the justice system. The case for reform is so clear. As a former member for Southern Metropolitan for the Greens Sue Pennicuik said when the Greens introduced a similar reform bill a decade ago, criminalising begging is a totally unacceptable way of dealing with what is basically a social problem. More recently the Greens have again called on the government to decriminalise begging, noting that there is no evidence that these laws reduce begging and that they divert police resources from genuine threats to community safety. Victoria is increasingly out of step on this front. New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania have all decriminalised begging, and Victoria is going backwards while other jurisdictions modernise. Minister, people should not face criminal penalties for asking for help to survive. We should not be criminalising poverty. I ask that you commit to legislating this year the decriminalisation of begging in Victoria and to ensuring the government’s response to this issue prioritises housing and support, not punishment.