Our call to overhaul Victoria’s flawed Coward Punch laws is louder than ever, fuelled by major media coverage.
In a unified front, The Pat Cronin Foundation and Danny Green’s Stop the Coward Punch (STCP) Campaign are calling on the Victorian Government to urgently review the legislation, which recently marked its 10th anniversary.
Introduced on September 18, 2014, the laws have only been used once in a decade.
The Melbourne Herald Sun featured the campaign prominently on its front page, with the headline Cowards’ Way Out, highlighting the inadequacies of current legislation. It also posted the story to its 450,000 Facebook followers, and led with the issue in a mail-out to subscribers.
Significantly, the issue was the subject of its daily editorial, which stated:
“The legislation should be amended to underline the legal principle of a “reasonable person” accepting there is a high risk of death and serious injury from their actions when a non-threatening victim is king hit.
“If more lives can be saved by an amendment to the legislation that sends a clear expectation that the senseless violence of coward-punch deaths will result in minimum 10-year jail terms, reckless thugs might think twice about swinging their fists.”
As well, the topic has gained prime air time, with ABC Radio’s Charlie Pickering interviewing Pat Cronin Foundation director Matt Cronin on its Drive Show (full clip below), in addition to coverage by 3AW Melbourne and Ten News Melbourne.
Originally, the legislation was aimed at delivering a minimum non-parole period of ten years for fatal coward punches, highlighting a need to send a clear message about the dire consequences that can result from a single act of violence.
However, as it stands, these laws are failing to fulfill their intended purpose.
The Foundation’s Stance:
The Foundation has emphasised that legal loopholes are undermining the laws, allowing offenders to escape the lengthy jail terms the legislation was meant to enforce.
According to Foundation director Matt Cronin: “The 10-year milestone for the legislation makes it the perfect time to acknowledge it has fallen far short of the original intentions as well as community expectations.
“While the Foundation has provided violence-prevention education in about 60 per cent of Victorian high schools, we believe real cultural change also needs strong legal support.”
The Foundation argues that the current laws do not provide the necessary deterrent or accountability for offenders who deliver these sudden and often lethal attacks.
Danny Green’s Call to Action:
Boxing legend and advocate Danny Green has added his voice, underscoring the devastating effects of coward punches, both on the victims and their families. Green stated:
“Each Coward Punch death is absolutely tragic, but reminds us that survivors face lifelong recovery, and often face significant cognitive, psychological, and economic damage that haunts them long after physical wounds heal.
“This anti-social and criminal behaviour must stop. It happens in social settings and at home, affecting not just the victims but also their families and communities.”
As the laws reach their tenth anniversary, Green called for reflection and immediate action, urging the government to strengthen its stance.
“On this 10th anniversary, it’s time to pause and reflect and to call on Governments around Australia to do more to stop this scourge in our community. We need stronger preventative measures, more effective support systems for victims, and harsher penalties for perpetrators. The time for change is now.”
Victoria’s Coward Punch Laws at a Glance:
The Coward Punch laws, introduced under Victoria’s Sentencing Act 1991 (Sec 9C), require prosecutors to prove four elements: that the punch was deliberate, it was to the head or neck, that the victim would not have expected it, and that the attacker probably knew the victim was not expecting to be punched.
A major loophole in the legislation is that “the offender intended that the punch or strike be delivered to the victim’s head or neck.” This has been notoriously difficult to prove, resulting in rare enforcement of the law. These challenges raise questions about the law’s ability to effectively hold perpetrators accountable and to serve as a deterrent.
The original legislation was brought in by the Napthine Government. At the time, Premier Napthine emphasised: “A single punch to the head without warning can too often cause death or lifelong injuries.
“We need to send a very clear message about the tragic consequences that can flow from a moment of violence.
“We also need to drive home to would-be offenders that they will spend a long time in jail if they resort to such violence.”
Ongoing Crisis and the Need for Change
The urgency of reform becomes apparent when considering the scale of the crisis. Since 2000, more than 170 Australians have died from Coward Punches, and each year thousands of people are hospitalised due to violent assaults (excluding domestic violence), many of whom are left with lifelong disabilities.
The Foundation and STCP Campaign media coverage is playing a crucial role in amplifying the call for stronger laws and better protections for victims.
Media’s Role in Pushing for Change
The attention has underscored a public sentiment that demands a change in how these attacks are treated under the law.
The front-page headline, Cowards’ Way Out, aptly reflects the frustration felt by families of victims and advocates who feel that the current laws allow attackers to evade meaningful accountability.
We’ve made it clear that this 10-year anniversary is not just a time for reflection but a time for meaningful legislative change.
With a heightened focus on preventative measures, stronger penalties, and greater community awareness, we’re determined to turn a decade of inaction into a pivot point for real progress.
The question remains: will the Victorian Government take up this urgent challenge, or will it continue to let violent acts slip through the cracks of a flawed legal framework?
The call for change is louder than ever, and it is up to the authorities to ensure that the voices of victims and their advocates are finally heard.
