Ivan Ray May ’26
The Government has just announced sweeping changes to sentencing as a strategy to fix the crime problem. The ‘Allan govt orders $3m review of Victoria’s Sentencing Act’ as reported in the Herald Sun, 5th of May 2026.
There are probably areas of the Sentencing Act that need updating, but a full review is nonsensical and will do nothing to slow the escalating crime rate.
With the latest spate of fire bombings, innocent lives will inevitably be lost in this extortion racket.
The government could do a lot better if it took notice of people like the CAA,
The CAA was established over 10 years ago to give victims a voice on Law and Order issues and has attracted former Police with a combined Policing experience of over 500 years. They are supported by a large group of non-police, representing a wide cross-section of the community. Ranging from victims of horrific crime to several Health professionals to people with corporate experience and the entertainment industry.
The Police experience covers all ranks and all police functions, both operationally and corporately.
The 500 number is growing as more and more former Police officers are dissatisfied with the performance of the Force to which they have committed a large part of their lives. The common thread that binds them is that the Force can be so much better; Victoria and the serving members deserve it.
Not all the issues are the fault of the Force, and poorly briefed governments have made their fair share of clangers, and this announcement is one of them.
While the CAA struggles financially to survive, the government will waste millions on a strategy doomed to fail.
The CAA strongly recommends that,
An Independent Law and Order Standing Commission be established with bipartisan support to oversee all matters concerning Law and Order and Good Governance within the Criminal Justice system.
Getting an effective and efficient Criminal Justice system that punishes wrongdoers might just give the Victoria Police under Mike Bush the chance to reform and improve the lives of Victorians and the Police who serve them.
A reform that would be a cheaper and more effective strategy than just throwing our money at it for a limited outcome.
Changing the sentencing laws will achieve nothing to impact this crime spike. These lowlifes committing these horrendous crimes wouldn’t have a clue or, moreover, be influenced by governments or anybody else talking tough; to the juvenile idiots, this is just white noise if they even hear it.
Remember, these kids committing these crimes are influenced by the mature crooks whom they are trying to emulate, so who do you reckon they will listen to?
The common denominator in most juvenile crime is that the offenders are generally already on bail for earlier offences that are not yet resolved.
The courts use the flimsiest excuse to avoid locking up kids on the premise that this will only make them worse.
This ‘woke’ approach promotes the ideology that locking kids up will make them worse than what they are already; they are already in the worst category, committing high-end crime.
But at least if they are not out on bail, they are not committing more crimes.
No, the current proposal won’t work; the focus needs to be on holding the courts to account.
There is chatter about minimum sentencing, but the problem is that if a minimum sentence applies to an offence and the Jurist doesn’t philosophically agree with the concept, they will find a way not to convict. They have many options at their disposal.
That government strategy will fail before it starts and will feed into the untouchable ethos of criminal juveniles, making the problem worse, not better.
Surely we all agree that the very highest responsibility for any government is to ensure the safety of its citizens?
Absolutely nothing will change as a result of more useless reviews. Not until someone in authority within Government acknowledges that the courts have deserted their obligation to protect the community – and, therefore, so has government itself.
Youths on dozens of sets of bail at the one time, fire bombings nightly, multiple home invasions nightly, car thefts almost beyond counting…etc. etc…
Unless and until government introduces minimum sentences to bookend the maximum sentence for any crime will we have any measure of safety, or any confidence in government.
The judiciary long ago discarded the notion of ‘blind justice’ and simply introduced their personal version of ‘justice’.
That version has led us to where we are today; a dangerous and failing society rampant with crime and an utter disregard for the law and the people of Victoria…and with government that long ago abandoned any consideration of their primary responsibility.
The State government has been “dragged screaming and kicking” to address unacceptable crime rates in Victoria. The latest announcement is an unsatisfactory response. It follows other inadequate or pathetic responses and announcements…..remember the high-cost machete bins – knife attacks continue. Organised crime has not been reduced – it has become contagious. It may not actually be a spike – it could prove to be a new “normal”.
The latest government announcement of “throwing money” is principally a distraction attempt to appease the broad Victorian community. Citizens are increasingly concerned for their peace and safety. Three million dollars [ $3 M.] is “chicken feed” compared to the direct and indirect costs of losing and replacing the unsustainable exodus of Police Members. An adequate intervention could also reduce the exodus of experienced Police from VicPol. The specific terms of the “Review” will more clearly indicate the community outcomes from the multi-million dollars exercise in prevarication. Appointments to the proposed Commission will further indicate its likely outcomes.
IF A PERSON OF ANY AGE, BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURTS, IS REGARDED AS LIKELY TO RE-OFFEND, BUT BAILED – THOUGH NOT YET PROVEN GUILTY OF THE CHARGE[S] – THEY ARE EFFECTIVELY THEN RELEASED FROM A SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY. MOST “OFFENDING” YOUTHS, AND SOME ADULTS, INTERPRET THAT AS PERMISSION TO CONTINUE THEIR ROUTINE BEHAVIOUR – THE REVOLVING DOOR…….CAUSING MORE DEMANDS ON POLICE, AND MORE CASES CLOGGING THE COURTS AND DETENTION FACILITIES. THREATS TO THE COMMUNITY CONTINUE. SPECIFIC DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON THIS MATTER IS CONSPICUOUS BY ITS ABSENCE / UNAVAILABILITY…….IT IS CENTRAL TO A RESOLUTION.
“The courts use the flimsiest excuse to avoid locking up kids on the premise that this will only make them worse”. But the contrary premise is reality. The ideology adopted by the Courts enhances “offenders” skewed sense of righteousness and belief in their bravado. They feel that their behaviour is validated. That equates to more challenges, at a higher level, for Police. When the “offenders” eventually face Court, despite the presentations of lawyers, they do not genuinely feel, nor sincerely display, remorse – because they feel no accountability in the first place, as indicated [or reinforced] by their earlier release.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROVED THAT THEY DON’T HAVE A RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND DEMANDS A RESOLUTION. The government could solve its own problem if it took notice of the expertise of people like those who comprise the CAA, instead of blindly following a failed ideology – and enabling the Courts to do so.