Justice Connect welcomes the Victorian Government’s historic move to reform the Summary Offences Act 1966, repealing the offence of begging. This marks a significant shift away from the criminalisation of poverty and homelessness in Victoria.

For over 25 years, Justice Connect has advocated for the repeal of this law. The criminalisation of begging fails to address the drivers of disadvantage and serves to punish and vilify the community’s most vulnerable.

As Victoria’s specialist free legal service for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, Justice Connect’s Homeless Law program has seen firsthand how criminal penalties such as fines only exacerbate hardship and draw people further into the justice system.

Criminalisation does nothing to address the underlying causes of disadvantage, such as housing insecurity, family violence, mental illness, and acute financial stress.

Such laws also have a disproportionate impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, compounding existing experiences of over-policing and systemic disadvantage.

Importantly, this reform has been announced alongside an investment of $24.8 million in assertive outreach and Housing First tenancy supports.

“Repealing the offence of begging is a significant step towards a fairer and more effective response to homelessness in Victoria,” said Paula Hughes, Head of Community Programs at Justice Connect.

“No one should face criminal penalties because they are experiencing poverty or have nowhere else to turn. We welcome the Government’s recognition that support services, housing, and outreach are the right response to hardship, not policing and prosecution.”

Justice Connect looks forward to working alongside the Victorian Government, homelessness services, and the broader community sector to support the successful implementation of this reform and to continue addressing the underlying drivers of homelessness through investment in housing and support services.

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