Victorian bill to abolish suspended sentences

On 16 April, Victorian Attorney-General Robert Clark introduced a bill to abolish suspended sentences for all crimes. In a tweet that morning Robert Clark stated: “Introducing legislation to Parl today to abolish all remaining suspended sentences. Under the Coalition, jail will mean jail.” Under the proposed bill, Supreme and County Courts will no longer be able to impose suspended sentences from December, and all Magistrates will lose that power from September 2014.

The State Government previously abolished suspended sentences for serious offences including recklessly causing serious injury and commercial drug trafficking in May 2011. This new bill would banish suspended sentences for driving offences, less serious offences involving drugs and violence, and white-collar crimes.