Reforms that would have made it easier for youth offenders to be granted bail have been temporarily "paused" following perceptions of a "youth crime crisis" in Victoria.
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes confirmed today that she would move to have 'presumption of bail for children' removed from the bail amendment bill.
The changes will instead become part of the youth justice bill, which will be introduced early next year.
"Child bail reform is still on the agenda," Symes told reporters outside parliament.
"This is not a backflip, this is just a pause. The practical effects of this are minimal.
"I do not want a discussion about a youth crime crisis that doesn't exist, and I think that if we proceed with those reforms in this bill without the broader conversation about how we are responding to youth crime, we risk the perception of community safety diminishing.
"That's a responsibility that I take seriously, as well as responding to the reality of crime."
Former premier Daniel Andrews previously had planned to implement presumption of bail for children accused of any crime expect for terrorism or murder.
But today, Premier Jacinta Allan said it made more sense to bring together the reforms with the youth justice bill.
"We need to get the balance right in terms of making right issues of the past are corrected but also assuring Victorians," she said.
The pause comes just weeks after a schoolboy was left life-altering injures after being allegedly abducted while walking to school.
A 14-year-old boy was charged with a string of offences including armed robbery, conduct endangering life, intentionally causing serious injury and theft.
He was on bail at the time of the incident.
Victorian Greens justice spokesperson Katherine Copsey said the decision to change the bill was an "incredibly weak decision", but said the party would support the bill's passage.
"We know young people coming in contact with the criminal justice system has terrible outcomes," she said.
Shadow attorney-general Michael O'Brien welcomed the move.
"It made no sense, we should have bail laws that are fit for purpose," he saiid.
"We should have bail laws that fit the crime."
While youth bail reform has been put on the back burner, the upper house passed legislation relating to adult offenders, meaning less low-level offenders behind bars.
Another amendment was moved to mandate a statutory review of the bail laws every two years.
