Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed that the State Government will be addressing issues within existing bail laws in the response to a coroner’s report into the death of Indigenous woman Veronica Nelson while in custody.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Andrews echoed the sentiments of the coroners report that Nelson’s death was a “terrible tradgedy” and preventable.
The changes are set to take effect with little resistance as the state’s opposition leader John Pesutto signaled that the there will be bipartisan support in changing the 2018 laws.
“Just one long catastrophic litany of failings, from the laws themselves, to not heeding the calls for help that Veronica was making in her final days and her final hours,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.
Mr Andrews said that the bipartisan support will give the government the ability to learn from the tragedy and honor Nelson’s memory.
“With good will and a partnership across the parliament, then I think we can take this terrible tragedy and whilst we can’t change it, we can learn from it, and we can honor Veronica Nelson’s memory by making that this sort of tragedy doesn’t happen again,” he said.
Image Credit Peter Kerr
