I rise to speak on the Corrections Amendment Bill 2026. This is a targeted bill that deals with two specific issues in Victoria’s corrections system. It is not a broad rewrite of corrections law – rather, it is a practical response to legal and operational issues that have emerged and that require Parliament’s attention. To keep Victorians safe, our Labor government has introduced the nation’s toughest bail laws and introduced the ‘adult crime, adult time’ laws. We have seen a drop in the latest crime statistics, so we know that we are heading in the right direction. This bill continues those efforts to keep our community safe. It is about making sure Victoria’s corrections laws are clear, workable and fit for purpose. The bill is technical but with a straightforward purpose. It will improve community safety and recognises the reality of the corrections system. The bill clarifies how the right to open air should operate within prisons and validates certain actions taken by advanced practitioners in community corrections where a delegation oversight has occurred. Importantly, the bill does not abolish access to open air. It clarifies that the right does not apply where it is not reasonably practicable, having regard to operational considerations. This is consistent with limitations in other jurisdictions.

When we discuss corrections legislation it can be easy to focus only on court cases, legal principles and technical amendments, but behind every correctional facility are real people doing difficult work every single day. I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the prison officers and corrections staff who work across Victoria, including the dedicated staff at the Hopkins Correctional Centre and Langi Kal Kal Prison in the electorate of Ripon. These are men and women who turn up every single day to work in a challenging environment. They manage complex behaviours, they maintain order and security, and they protect their colleagues, visitors and those in custody. They play a critical role in rehabilitation while also making sure that our prisons remain safe places to work and operate. Much of their work goes unseen by the public, yet our justice system depends on them. They deal with situations that can change rapidly. They make difficult decisions. They manage risks that most of us will never encounter in our working lives. Their professionalism and commitment deserve recognition from this Parliament, and I am honoured to represent so many prison officers that live in Ararat, Beaufort and surrounding communities in the electorate of Ripon.

The bill before us recognises an important reality: corrections systems do not operate in theory; they operate in the real world. The current law provides prisoners with a right to be in the open air for at least 1 hour each day if weather conditions permit. This bill will not abolish that right. What it does, though, is clarify that there may be circumstances where providing that access is not reasonably practicable because of operational considerations. That is a sensible change. Prisons must constantly balance a range of competing responsibilities. They must protect safety, they must maintain good order, manage security risks and separate prisoners when necessary and they must respond to incidents and emergencies. They prevent violence, the movement of contraband and, in extreme circumstances, escape attempts. The staff at facilities such as the Hopkins Correctional Centre and Langi Kal Kal Prison understand these realities better than anyone. If a serious incident occurs, if a prisoner needs to be separated for safety reasons or if there are significant security concerns, corrections officers need the ability to manage those situations appropriately. The law should recognise those operational realities, rather than pretending that they do not exist.

The bill responds to a recent Supreme Court decision involving Mr George Marrogi that raised questions about how the right to open air should operate in practice. The government is appealing that decision, but it is also taking action to provide clarity in the legislation. Importantly, the bill recognises that some prisoners present particularly complex management challenges. In certain circumstances, particularly involving high-risk prisoners, providing access to open air may not be reasonably practicable because of safety, security and operational considerations. The legislation provides a framework for recognising those circumstances while still preserving the underlying right in ordinary situations.

I know there will be some who raise concerns about this bill. Those concerns deserve to be heard and to be considered, but I believe that it is also important that we listen to the people working on the front line of our corrections system. Corrections officers understand the operational consequences of policies and legal decisions. They understand what can and cannot be achieved safely within the physical constraints of prison infrastructure. They understand the challenges of managing high-risk offenders. Their practical experience matters. This Parliament has an obligation to make sure that the laws we pass are workable, not just well intentioned. The bill also addresses the state’s financial exposure arising from past claims relating to limitations on open air access before the commencement of these reforms. The purpose of this measure is to provide certainty and to reduce the risk of ongoing litigation and compensation claims that could create significant financial exposure for Victorian taxpayers.

The second aspect of the bill relates to a technical delegation issue involving advanced practitioners in community corrections. As outlined in the explanatory material, a departmental restructure created the role of advanced practitioner. An administrative oversight meant that delegation instruments were not updated appropriately, despite those officers continuing to perform their duties in good faith. These practitioners were undertaking important responsibilities, including issuing directions and commencing proceedings in relation to community correction orders. The bill validates actions taken during the affected period and provides certainty that those actions remain effective.

Again, I think it is important to remember the human element. This situation was not caused by frontline staff acting improperly. These officers were doing their jobs in good faith and serving our community. The amendment ensures that administrative oversight does not undermine the work they performed or create unintended risks for community safety. For communities across regional Victoria, community safety is not an abstract concept. People in communities across Ripon expect our government to maintain a corrections system that is effective, accountable and safe. They expect prisoners to be managed appropriately, they expect community correction orders to be enforced and they expect corrections staff to have the legal certainty needed to carry out their duties. This bill supports those objectives.

I particularly, again, want to acknowledge the staff at Hopkins Correctional Centre and Langi Kal Kal Prison. Their contribution to our community is huge. They perform difficult work with professionalism and resilience, and they help keep Victorians safe, often without public recognition. This bill recognises the realities that they face every day. It supports the safe, secure and effective operation of correctional facilities. It provides greater legal certainty and it addresses operational risks and protects the integrity of both the prison and community corrections systems. For those reasons, I support the Corrections Amendment Bill 2026, and I commend the bill to the house.