Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday, I stood here in this chamber to mark the start of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and spoke about the horrific murder of Isla Bell. Isla Bell was just 19 and had her whole life ahead of her. It is alleged she was bashed to death at an apartment in Melbourne. It's also alleged her body was loaded into a fridge and moved several times before being dumped. On the day that Isla should have been celebrating her 20th birthday, it is alleged that her body was being hidden from view by men seeking to hide their crimes.

Yesterday the man who allegedly moved Isla Bell's body in that fridge, to help conceal her death from police, was granted bail. He is out, in the community, today. Isla Bell deserves better, and, as political leaders, we cannot be silent when we see decisions like this. How can bail laws allow someone accused of such a serious crime to be out in the community? It is totally unacceptable and reflects weak bail laws, which Jacinta Allan's Victorian Labor government weakened even further in March this year.

The Victorian Liberals have been rightly calling for stronger bail laws for months, and I back their calls today. Protecting women demands that we empower our justice system with stronger laws.

Isla deserved better than this, and my heart breaks for her family and her friends today.