Labor’s weak revolving door justice continues despite backdown
Labor’s weak revolving door for criminals will continue for the vast majority of cases despite a humiliating backdown by John Brumby and Rob Hulls on suspended sentences today.
Shadow Attorney-General, Robert Clark said today that all Labor has committed to fix is the ‘exceptional circumstances’ loophole for serious offences that it created in 2006 which allows criminals found guilty of ‘serious offences’ to escape with a suspended sentence.
“John Brumby’s stale and incompetent government has reached its use-by date,” Mr Clark said.
“John Brumby and his ministers might try to copy Coalition policies – on police numbers, policing on public transport or crushing hoon cars – but Victorians aren’t fooled by Labor’s humiliating backdowns.
“Labor’s backdown today does nothing to tackle the problem of suspended sentences for other serious crimes.
“Labor’s revolving door will continue as usual for the vast majority of offences, including serious crimes such as recklessly causing serious injury, aggravated burglary, arson and drug trafficking.
“Under Labor’s approach if someone intends to cause serious injury they can’t get a suspended sentence, but if they injure someone knowing the injury is likely to be serious but claim they didn’t intend it then will still be able walk free straight out the court door.
“Labor only has a vague aim to abolish suspended sentences for offences other than ‘serious offences’, in stark contrast to the Coalition which will legislate to abolish suspended sentences for all offences during our first term in office.
“Under a Baillieu government, jail will mean jail in all cases.
“John Brumby and Rob Hulls must apologise to victims of violent crime in Victoria after Labor’s weak approach to sentencing allowed violent crime to soar and the public to lose confidence in the justice system.
“Even Labor’s own experts at the Sentencing Advisory Council are saying that Labor’s 2006 changes have made no difference,” Mr Clark said.