Victoria’s tough bail laws are not achieving what was intended

Victoria’s tough bail laws are not achieving what was intended

By Paul McClure 9 October 2022   When James Gargasoulas ploughed his maroon Commodore into a bustling Bourke Street on the afternoon of January 20, 2017, he could not have known how his lethal actions would impact Victoria’s criminal justice system. The revelation that Gargasoulas was on bail at the time outraged a public already…

Media statement | Fiona Patten Gives a Sh*t About Native Forest Logging Carbon Travesty – and has the Answer…

Media statement | Fiona Patten Gives a Sh*t About Native Forest Logging Carbon Travesty – and has the Answer…

I will fight to end native forest logging in Victoria if re-elected in the 26 November Victorian election. My candidate for North-eastern Metropolitan, Nina Springle, will re-introduce a bill to end such environmentally and economically unjustifiable logging in Victoria immediately, should she be elected. First introduced to the Parliament by Samantha Dunn MP in 2018,…

Media Statement | Fiona Patten Gives a Sh*t About Integrity

Integrity is not optional. It is of concern to me that, as reported in today’s edition of The Age, the Labor chair of a Parliamentary committee stymied independent auditors, “instructing’’ them to remove references to Government underfunding of the Independent Broad-based Anticorruption Commission. In democratic politics, integrity underpins everything, yet is so often absent. Result?…

Media Statement | Fiona Patten Gives a Sh*t About Sensible Drug Law Reform & Minimising Harm

Media Statement | Fiona Patten Gives a Sh*t About Sensible Drug Law Reform & Minimising Harm

If re-elected at the 26 November Victorian election, I am determined to continue to lead community debate on sensible drug law reform and on harm minimisation. Reason Party’s drug law reform policies will save many thousands of lives and many millions of taxpayers’ dollars. I often say we should not let the perfect get in…

Media Statement | Fiona Patten gives a Sh*t about Mental Health

The mental health system remains in crisis and requires major investment. Far too little has been done to rectify the declining mental health of Victorians. In 2020-2021, over 1.1 million Victorians received a mental health related prescription, with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reporting that 73 percent of mental health related prescriptions during…