Family First Victoria Leader Moira Deeming launches “Justice Served”: a mandatory minimum time behind bars for the worst violent and sexual crimes.
Family First Victoria today announced mandatory minimum non-parole periods for violent and sexual offenders, set at 30 per cent of the maximum sentence for each crime.
For an offence with a 25-year maximum, such as rape or armed burglary, that means no parole before 7½ years.
Family First Victoria Leader and Western Metropolitan Region lead candidate Moira Deeming said families and victims of crime deserve to know how long the worst offenders will spend behind bars.
“If someone breaks into your home with a weapon, or rapes someone, you should know that they will spend a long time behind bars before anyone even considers parole,” Ms Deeming said. “That is what Justice Served means. Families should have that confidence.”
“Our justice system fails when violent or sexual offenders are released on parole and re-offend during the period of time that their sentence would otherwise have operated.”
What the plan does
- Sets a minimum non-parole period of 30 per cent of the maximum sentence for designated violent and sexual offences, including rape, armed burglary and aggravated home invasion.
- A 25-year maximum for crimes such as aggravated burglary, carjacking or rape means at least 7½ years before parole can be considered.
- Courts can still set longer non-parole periods for repeat or more serious instances of offending. This sets a floor, while retaining the current maximum sentences.
- Non-citizens convicted of these crimes should be deported.
Sentencing Advisory Council figures show how far typical sentences sit below the maximum. The typical non-parole period for aggravated burglary is about 2½ years, and for rape about 4½ years. For a 25-year maximum, the new floor of 7½ years is three times the typical period for aggravated burglary and about two-thirds longer for rape.
“Families sit through a trial, hear a sentence read out, then learn the first parole date is much sooner than they expected,” Ms Deeming said. “This puts a floor in the law, so the earliest date is known before the judge decides the final sentence.”
“Too many times we have seen victims of crime and public commentary complain about soft sentencing, it’s time the law put families and victims back in front”.
“Parliament has told the courts how seriously it takes these crimes. This plan will bring the courts into line with public expectations.”
Ms Deeming said the plan is about sentencing, after someone has been found guilty, and that these changes leave room for bail laws to also be improved.
“Bail laws are a separate issue that need to be improved so violent and repeat offenders are off the streets,” she said. “This policy is just one cog in a larger justice system machine. It is the cog that delivers justice that victims can depend on.”
Ms Deeming said that her seat in the Legislative Council carries real weight in the upcoming election on November 28th.
“One seat in the upper house can be the difference between a law passing and failing,” she said. “If I’m elected, I’ll use that weight to put families back in front, and I’ll put this plan to whoever is Premier after the 28th.”
The Victorian election is on Saturday 28 November 2026. Moira Deeming MP is Leader of Family First Victoria and its lead candidate for the Western Metropolitan Region, having served since her election in 2022.
