VIC Higher Penalties for Violent Crimes and New Knife Offence for Specific Crimes

Justice Legislation Amendment (Community Safety) Bill 2025

9 Dec 2025: Passed by Parliament and signed off by the governor.

This bill kicks in: TBA

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

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Topics

carjacking child safety criminal penalties home invasion knife crime violent crime youth justice

Introduced by: The Hon Sonya Kilkenny MP (ALP); The Hon Enver Erdogan MLC (ALP)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

The maximum penalty for intentionally causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence increases from 20 to 25 years imprisonment.
The maximum penalty for recklessly causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence increases from 15 to 20 years imprisonment.
The maximum penalty for aggravated home invasion and aggravated carjacking increases from 25 years to life imprisonment.
The maximum penalty for recruiting a child to engage in criminal activity increases from 10 to 15 years imprisonment.
A new offence is created for using a knife while committing specific violent crimes, such as affray or causing serious injury, carrying a 3-year prison sentence.
The definition of carjacking expands to include the theft of a vehicle if a child under 10 is inside, regardless of whether the thief knew the child was there.
Courts sentencing children must consider the impact on victims, the child's efforts to restore harm, and the need to protect the community.

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

James Newbury LIB

“I rise to speak on the Justice Legislation Amendment (Community Safety) Bill 2025. I want to say at the outset that the coalition will not be opposing this legislation. We will not be opposing this legislation because we believe that this government has got Tuesday2December 2025 Legislative Assembly 5279 it wrong for too long in addressing the community crime crisis that is gripping our state.”

Official source →

Tim Richardson ALP

“It is really important to rise and speak on the Justice Legislation Amendment (Community Safety) Bill 2025.”

Official source →

Brad Battin LIB

“The words ‘consequences’ and ‘brazen’ must have come up a lotin recentpollsbecausetheyseemtobethewords being mentioned the mostrightatthe momentin this conversation. If you want to talk about consequences for crime, does anyone seriously believe bringing in a life sentence for a person who is 14 years old and who has committed an aggravated burglary is the right outcome?”

Official source →

John Lister ALP

“Firstly, I would like to thank the member for Laverton and my fellow Wyndham colleague for her contribution to this bill and framing it in terms that I will turn to as well, which is this idea that we need to have community-led solutions. Community safety does go beyondtheheadlines.”

Official source →

David Southwick LIB

“Many of you in this chamber would know that I used to be a DJ and I could spin some records, but I could never spin as well as the Labor Party has when itcomesto crime. Theyarespinningsohard withoutanysubstanceordetailatall,andthecommunity do notfeel anysafer as aresult of it. This is another example – aheadline with absolutely no detailor substance – adult time for violent crime.”

Official source →

Gabrielle de Vietri GRN

“I rise in disgust to speak on the Justice Legislation Amendment (Community Safety) Bill 2025 and to put on the record that the Greens vehemently opposethisshamefulbillinthestrongestpossibleterms,whichiswhy Iwillbemovinganamendment to the reasoned amendment moved by the member for Brighton.”

Official source →

Will Fowles IND

“The member for Narre Warren North says no-one wants to lockup14-year-oldsforlife,butthatisinfactexactlywhatthegovernment’sbilldoes.Foraggravated homeinvasionwenowhaveanuplifttoapotentiallifesentence–aggravatedhomeinvasion.Sowhat are the elements? It is a burglary – that means you are armed; sure.”

Official source →