New Victorian laws aimed at sex offenders after murder of Masa Vukotic
Victoria Police will get the power to detain registered sex offenders for up to three days without charge, if they are suspected of planning more crimes.
The measure is included in a new package of laws following the murder of teenager Masa Vukotic in March 2015.
The Victorian Premier admitted all sides of politics shared the blame for the death of the 17 year old.
"Tragically we all need to accept and admit that the system failed Masa Vukotic and her family," Premier Daniel Andrews said.
He said the system will be tightened after he personally promised Masa’s mother, Natasa Natasa.
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"I told her that we would honor her memory, that we would fix the system. We would make sure that her daughter did not die in vain," Mr Andrews said.
The new laws include a mandatory 12 months jail for sex offenders who breach their supervision order.
Police can also detain them for up to three days without charge and will be given new search and seizure powers.
The opposition supports the package but wants more.
"You can pass all the laws you like but if you haven't got the police to enforce them there is not much use passing new laws and the fact remains Daniel Andrews has cut police numbers in Victoria," Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said.
But the government said police numbers are in fact slightly up and it promised more anti-sex offender measures.
"This is not the end of it. There will be more and you will see that in the lead up to the budget," Mr Andrews said.
A judicial review of the management of serious sex offenders will not be released for a few weeks, after the time has expired for Sean Price to appeal his sentence.
The number of supervised sex offenders living in the community was cut from 54 to 41 in the days after Masa Vukotic’s death.
