The Victorian government is set to introduce laws that would keep serial killer Paul Denyer locked up for life, the ABC understands.
Denyer, who murdered three women in 1993, had a bid for parole rejected earlier this year.
The ABC understands that the bill is a comprehensive package that was designed with the family of Natalie Russell, who was one of Denyer's victims.
Under the change the parole board can set a "no return" date for those serving life sentences or ban serial killers and child murderers from applying for parole for up to 10 years.
The parole board will also be able to classify some murderers, child killers and serious sexual offenders as restricted prisoners, which will prevent them for applying for parole for five years after their non-parole period.
When it is deemed to be in the public interest, the parole board can stop a restricted prisoner from applying for parole for 10 years.
People serving a life sentence will also be restricted from reapplying for parole once an application has failed.
Denyer specifically named in new legislation, ABC understands
During former premier Daniel Andrews's reign the government had vowed to make access to parole more difficult for serial killers, but faced criticism for not specifically backing laws that named Denyer to ensure he would never be released.
The ABC understands Denyer is specifically named in the new proposed legislation to never be released unless he is physically incapacitated or terminally ill.
Denyer pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three life sentences for the murders of Ms Russell, Elizabeth Stevens and Debbie Fream in Melbourne's south-east.
Ms Stevens was 18 when Denyer abducted her from a bus stop in Langwarrin and left her body in a nearby park.
Denyer tried to abduct a 41-year-old woman a month later while she was making her way home from work.
The woman managed to escape, but later that night, Ms Fream, 22, was murdered.
A few weeks later, Denyer murdered Ms Russell while she was walking home from school.
Lawyer says change could undermine courts
Greg Barns, the national criminal justice spokesman for the Australian Lawyers Alliance, criticised the bill and said it raised concerns that the role of the court would be "irrelevant" under the new laws.
"Generally most lawyers take a view that these matters are best left with the courts. It's important to understand that it is the courts who set the sentences for individuals including non-parole periods," he said.
"The reason that's done is because the courts are best placed to assess ... how long a person should go to jail for and secondly when they're eligible for parole.
"This law is effectively saying that the parole board can delay a person's parole simply because of the type of offence that has occurred, irrespective of the way that person has behaved in prison and their rehabilitation."
He said "fettering" the discretion of courts and the parole board "undermines the way in which the criminal justice system is supposed to work" and could be "dangerous".
"You may get a government that comes along and for populous reasons decides to impose real severe restrictions on the way in which courts can deal with matters and or parole boards," he said.
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2023-10-31 03:13:43Z
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