A new law in Victoria could see thieves who steal cars with kids inside charged with carjacking even if they were unaware. The crime would be subject to up to 15 years in prison. Video via AAP
00:00So today the bill will include an amendment to the Crimes Act that will expand carjacking to make sure that anyone who steals a car and there is a child inside, whether they know there's a child inside or not, they will be charged with carjacking, which means they will then be liable to the maximum penalty under the Crimes Act now, which is 15 years.
00:27But it also means it will be included as one of these high harm, serious offences that will default as an uplift into the county court under the new laws that we're bringing into Parliament today.
00:39What has it been treated as before? What has it been plastered as before?
00:43Well, so it's theft of a vehicle. Theft of a vehicle. And that's a very different crime and offence to what we are seeing.
00:53And what we are doing with the laws that we're introducing into Parliament today is, of course, responding to this new type of offending that we've seen, including the carjacking or theft of vehicles with a child inside.
01:07I think there was an example recently in regional Victoria, but there have been others as well.
01:13As a mum, I have watched in horror when I've seen these particular stories broadcast and shared with the public.
01:20So it is in response to that, responding to victims and their families and, of course, the harm and the fear for the child inside.
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