{
  "id": 10139890,
  "title": "Pledge to axe scheme culling years from prison terms",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/pledge-to-axe-scheme-culling-years-from-prison-terms",
  "topic": null,
  "section": null,
  "published": "2026-09-27T02:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Discovered",
    "slug": "discovered",
    "url": "https://therural.com.au/story/9358077/pledge-to-axe-scheme-culling-years-from-prison-terms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Prisoners in Victoria are set to lose automatic sentence reductions for good behaviour during emergencies, according to the state's opposition party. The Labor government's recent pledge to abolish the scheme, which has already shaved years off inmates' sentences, has sparked controversy. Nearly 2,300 years of sentence reductions were granted over a four-year period, including to offenders like convicted murderer Shane Robertson, whose partner's death sentence was reduced by 14 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. The opposition argues that these measures do not align with community expectations and are outdated compared to other states. However, the Victorian government maintains that the coalition is only revisiting COVID-era policies, and emphasizes their commitment to community safety amidst proposed job cuts.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}