Victorian courts, jails win boost in security

The Victorian Supreme Court will get a $32 million security overhaul as part of a $232 million Budget law-and-order package.

It includes a new $8 million super-prison for high-risk gangland and terrorism trials, and a new judge will be appointed to deal solely with terrorism and organised crime.
Parts of the historic William St complex will be redeveloped as part of the Budget package.

The new $8 million super-prison, to be built within the walls of the maximum-security jail at Barwon, will house the state's most dangerous criminals.

Police will get $31 million to fight corruption, $59 million to replace the LEAP database system and $21.3 million for rural stations.

The force will also be strengthened by new surveillance and forensic gear costing $30 million, but police numbers will not be increased.

A bulletproof vehicle for the Special Operations Group and thousands of ballistic vests will cost $4.4 million.

More than $34 million will be spent on supporting victims of sexual assault, including the recruitment of female forensic nurses.

There will be separate sex assault court lists in the Magistrates' and County courts, led by a magistrate, judge, Crown prosecutor and solicitors specialising in sex offence prosecutions.

"Our police, prisons and the courts must be equipped to deal with people arrested or convicted of terror, organised crime or other very serious charges," Police Minister Tim Holding said yesterday.

About $21 million will go on public transport security, $5.4 million on a counter-terrorism awareness campaign and $1.2 million on the fight against graffiti.

The Police Association of Victoria said the budget had done little for existing officers and nothing for officer numbers, but welcomed the counter-terrorism initiatives and new police stations.