Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stopped short of saying he supported Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan's new "adult time for violent crime" law reforms, which could see children as young as 14 jailed for life.
The federal and state leaders fronted a press conference together today to announce the opening of Melbourne's highly anticipated West Gate Freeway Tunnel, just days after Allan's controversial announcement earlier this week.
Her government said it will introduce new legislation to crack down on youth offenders committing serious offences — like machete crime, home invasion, carjacking and armed robbery — to be tried in an adult court and face greater penalties.
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Albanese was questioned on what he thought about the proposed measures on his first visit to the state since they were announced.
He failed to say whether he supported the laws, but understood the premier had made the decision to keep residents safe.
"Australians want to be safe. State governments determine their own policy, but Australians do want to be safe," he told reporters.
"So I certainly understand that the Premier has made this decision, which is consistent with her commitment to keeping Victorians safe."
Under the proposed laws hoped to be passed by parliament before the end of the year, children as young as 14 will be tried in adult court for a range of violent offences, with the maximum penalty to be raised to life imprisonment.
The reforms are akin to the Queensland government's tough "adult crime, adult time" laws.
"We want courts to treat these violent children like adults, so jail is more likely and sentences are longer," Allan said at a press conference earlier this week announcing the measures.
"This will mean more violent youth offenders going to jail, facing serious consequences."
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But the premier came under fire from her colleagues across the bench and legal experts, who claim the laws would impede the state's human rights obligations.
They have also questioned the timing of the announcement, as the premier seeks another term at next year's looming state election.
Senator Lidia Thorpe said the laws were not about safety, but the election, adding that Indigenous and ethnic children would be unfairly targeted.
"The Premier wants to lock up 14-year-olds for life and pretend that's leadership. It's unfathomably cruel and the most shameful attempt to cling to power," she said.
"Every child Labor locks up is a child the government has already failed — in housing, mental health, disability support, education and care.
"Prison makes children more traumatised, more disconnected, and more likely to reoffend. It is harmful and does not make anyone's communities safer."
The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Human Rights Law Centre, and Amnesty International have all strongly condemned the laws and called for the state to reverse their course of action, saying the penalties are "cruel", "shameful" and "inhumane".
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