The State Government must back these bail changes with additional staffing across all components of our criminal justice system.

This includes in our Courts, Youth Justice, our Adult Prisons, Police Custody, and programs that support the management of offenders like our Community based Correctional services.

These services all need boosting to manage the confirmed increase. 

This week’s insidious assault on four of our officers (two at the Remand Centre that led to a court appearance for the offender and then another two SESG officers whom he assaulted when he was returned to Barwon) indicate more specialist response group personnel are needed at our max and high security jails immediately and rosters should be adjusted straight away to combat possible further assaults.

And cutting court support to our magistrates and judges at this time is nonsensical.

All proposals that involve a reduction in staff should be immediately shelved.