Victorian Upper House MP David Limbrick, of the Libertarian Party, will introduce a proposal in Parliament this week requesting the Law Reform Commission conduct a review of the state’s self-defence laws.
Limbrick argues that current legislation lacks clarity, particularly regarding protections for homeowners who defend themselves during violent home invasions.
“At the moment in Victoria, there’s some exemptions for self-defence in your home, but we want them to look at strengthening that so that people who are defending their own home against violent criminals have more peace of mind that they won’t get into trouble themselves,” Limbrick said.
He cited an increase in home invasions and growing concerns from his constituents as the motivation behind the proposal.
“There’s no real certainty. If someone invades my house and I’ve got a baseball bat and I hit them with it, it might be left up to a court on whether I get into trouble for that or not,” he added.
New South Wales has seen similar efforts, with John Ruddick, Libertarian member of the NSW Parliament, sponsoring a parliamentary e-petition, calling for Castle Law legislation that would provide residents the right to defend their property with whatever forced is deemed appropriate.
These calls for reform in Victoria and New South Wales echo recent developments in Queensland, where Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Deputy Leader and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto is pushing for the introduction of “Castle Law.”
Dametto’s proposal follows a February home invasion in Cairns, where a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by multiple young offenders. The incident has sparked public outrage and renewed demands for tougher self-defence protections.
“People should have the right to defend themselves, their families, and their properties without fearing legal consequences,” Dametto said. “Castle Law would make it crystal clear – if you break into someone’s home, you forfeit your rights.”
Dametto’s bill, which is currently before the Queensland Parliament, would establish legal protections for homeowners who use force against intruders. An accompanying e-petition has garnered over 63,000 signatures.
The petition argues that current laws relying on “reasonable force” are too vague, potentially exposing victims to criminal charges for actions taken in split-second, life-threatening situations.
