Premier Jacinta Allan has issued her strongest warning yet to Victoria’s judiciary, declaring that courts must hand down longer sentences as part of the government’s sweeping crime crackdown ahead of the 2026 state election.
With exactly one year until Victorians head to the polls, the Premier is attempting to seize control of the law-and-order debate, unveiling a suite of punitive reforms aimed at tackling escalating violent crime, repeat offending, and rising public concern. Central to the platform is Labor’s “adult time for adult crime” plan, which would allow children as young as 14 to be sentenced to life imprisonment for aggravated home invasions, aggravated carjackings and other severe violent offences.
In an exclusive interview, Ms Allan said the reforms were necessary because Victorian sentencing had been “too soft for too long,” arguing that both offenders and victims had lost faith in the justice system.
“It needed to be strong, it needed to be firm, and it needed to send a very clear message about consequences,” she said. “It’s sending a clear message that sentences need to be longer.”
Despite widespread condemnation — including from some Liberal MPs who privately believe the crackdown goes too far — Allan insists the community expects decisive action. She framed the reforms not only as a response to rising home invasions and carjackings, but as a broader directive to the justice system.
“It’s sending a message to brazen violent offenders, it’s sending a message to victims that we’ve listened, and yes, a message to the justice system as a whole.”
The political environment Ms Allan faces is more complex than any in her premiership. The government is battling soaring debt projected to hit $194bn by 2028-29, community anger over new taxes and levies, housing shortages, and pressure on frontline services. Since becoming Premier in 2023, she has been forced to manage a steady stream of crises — from bail reform controversies to regional backlash over the Emergency Services and Volunteers Levy.
Polling now shows the Liberal Party edging ahead on primary votes, preferred Premier, and two-party-preferred standings. Compounding matters, the opposition has recently installed Jess Wilson — a millennial and the state’s first female Liberal leader — replacing Brad Battin, whose political focus had been overwhelmingly on crime.
Ms Allan dismissed concerns about the new Liberal leadership, saying Victoria had seen many opposition leaders come and go.
“Different Liberal leader, same Liberal agenda — cuts,” she said, warning that Ms Wilson’s economic plan would result in billions of dollars in reduced services.
But the Liberal Party contests the government’s claims, arguing Labor’s own financial mismanagement, tax hikes, and major project blowouts have left the state with deep structural vulnerabilities.
Despite these pressures, Allan remains confident that voters will ultimately reward Labor for its record on cost-of-living relief, infrastructure delivery and investment in frontline services. She insists the upcoming campaign will centre on economic security, fairness, and community safety.
“And I’m choosing to invest in people,” she said. “The best answer to economic insecurity is keeping people in a job and growing the economy, not shrinking it.”
The coming year now shapes as a defining battle over crime, sentencing and public confidence — with the Premier making clear she expects Victoria’s courts to fall into line.
