This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jan/23/melbourne-mall-deaths-daniel-andrews-change-bail-laws
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Melbourne mall deaths: Daniel Andrews announces change in bail laws | Melbourne mall deaths: Daniel Andrews announces change in bail laws |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Daniel Andrews has announced an overhaul of Victoria’s bail laws after five people were killed and more than 30 injured in a rampage on Bourke Street on Friday, six days after suspect Dimitrious “Jimmy” Gargasoulas was bailed for domestic violence offences. | Daniel Andrews has announced an overhaul of Victoria’s bail laws after five people were killed and more than 30 injured in a rampage on Bourke Street on Friday, six days after suspect Dimitrious “Jimmy” Gargasoulas was bailed for domestic violence offences. |
| Gargasoulas allegedly drove a car along the footpath of Bourke Street in central Melbourne for more than two blocks before being shot in the arm by police. | Gargasoulas allegedly drove a car along the footpath of Bourke Street in central Melbourne for more than two blocks before being shot in the arm by police. |
| He had been granted bail against the advice of police on Saturday 14 January, after being arrested for an alleged assault against his mother’s partner, News Corp reported. | He had been granted bail against the advice of police on Saturday 14 January, after being arrested for an alleged assault against his mother’s partner, News Corp reported. |
| The changes include introducing an after-hours magistrates court to hear bail requests at the weekend and after normal court hours, and a requirement that all bail applications on serious matters, and those opposed by police are heard by a magistrate, not a bail justice. | The changes include introducing an after-hours magistrates court to hear bail requests at the weekend and after normal court hours, and a requirement that all bail applications on serious matters, and those opposed by police are heard by a magistrate, not a bail justice. |
| At a press conference in Melbourne on Monday morning, Andrews said work to create the after-hours or night court began over the weekend and on-call magistrates would be available to police “within days”. | At a press conference in Melbourne on Monday morning, Andrews said work to create the after-hours or night court began over the weekend and on-call magistrates would be available to police “within days”. |
| The attorney general, Martin Pakula, said he spoke to the chief magistrate on Sunday to arrange for magistrates to be on call to staff the after-hours court, and Andrews said additional magistrates would be appointed. | |
| Andrews also announced a wide-ranging review of the bail system, headed by a former director of public prosecutions, Paul Coghlan. The review would cover the best way to balance the presumption of innocence with community safety and the appropriateness of current tests of unacceptable risk, Andrews said. | Andrews also announced a wide-ranging review of the bail system, headed by a former director of public prosecutions, Paul Coghlan. The review would cover the best way to balance the presumption of innocence with community safety and the appropriateness of current tests of unacceptable risk, Andrews said. |
| “Nothing will be off the table,” Andrews said. “Nothing will be off-limits. This will be a full examination with the provision of urgent advice which will be provided to the government by 3 April for legislative change, for reform, for the sort of reform that has to be made to keep Victorians safe and the sort of change that we owe these victims and their families.” | |
| Andrews said the proposed changes should not be seen as a slight on volunteer bail justices, and that their role would be examined in the Coghlan review. | Andrews said the proposed changes should not be seen as a slight on volunteer bail justices, and that their role would be examined in the Coghlan review. |
| “However, I think it is appropriate, given the events of last Friday, the community is right to expect that, particularly, complex matters and particularly matters that relate to violence ... we think it is an appropriate balance to strike where those more serious matters go before a court as opposed to going before a volunteer.” | |
| Andrews said “no expense would be spared” on the reforms, which are expected to require the appointment of three new magistrates and could involve setting up video links for remote bail applications. | Andrews said “no expense would be spared” on the reforms, which are expected to require the appointment of three new magistrates and could involve setting up video links for remote bail applications. |
| Victorian bail laws have undergone a series of changes over recent years, including the introduction of a presumption against bail for a range of violent offences, and stronger penalties for breaching bail. | Victorian bail laws have undergone a series of changes over recent years, including the introduction of a presumption against bail for a range of violent offences, and stronger penalties for breaching bail. |
| Andrews said Friday’s tragedy showed those changes did not go far enough. | Andrews said Friday’s tragedy showed those changes did not go far enough. |
| Gargasoulas, 26, has received surgery for bullet wounds to his arm and is yet to be interviewed by police. He is expected to face multiple murder charges. | Gargasoulas, 26, has received surgery for bullet wounds to his arm and is yet to be interviewed by police. He is expected to face multiple murder charges. |
| Police have confirmed the names of three of those killed in the Bourke Street rampage: 33-year-old Matthew Si, 22-year-old Jess Mudie and 10-year-old Thalia Hakin. | Police have confirmed the names of three of those killed in the Bourke Street rampage: 33-year-old Matthew Si, 22-year-old Jess Mudie and 10-year-old Thalia Hakin. |
| A three-month-old baby and a 25-year-old Japanese student also died. | A three-month-old baby and a 25-year-old Japanese student also died. |
| Fifteen remain in hospital, including Thalia’s mother and sister, with two in a critical condition. | |
| On Sunday the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, laid flowers at a memorial which sprang up in Bourke Street after police removed the road blocks which had closed off the 1km crime scene for more than 12 hours. | On Sunday the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, laid flowers at a memorial which sprang up in Bourke Street after police removed the road blocks which had closed off the 1km crime scene for more than 12 hours. |
| Turnbull told Triple M on Monday that the incident highlighted the need to pay more attention to mental health. | |
| “Speaking with [police commissioner] Graham Ashton yesterday, he made the point that now, a very, very large percentage of the cases police deal with on the streets involve people who have that combination of mental illness exacerbated or made worse by drugs and alcohol. It is a big and growing problem,” Turnbull said. | |
| He said he was moved by the actions of police, paramedics and ordinary citizens who helped those injured on Friday. | |
| A candlelight vigil for the victims has been planned for Federation Square on Monday night. | A candlelight vigil for the victims has been planned for Federation Square on Monday night. |