Eliza Hartman

Eliza Hartman is the chief courts reporter for Victoria Crime News. She has spent more than a decade covering County Court trials, Supreme Court appeals and coronial inquests across Melbourne. She holds a Master of Journalism and writes about sentencing trends, criminal procedure, and public-interest litigation in Victoria.

Policing in Victoria
Eliza HartmanJune 24, 2026
Conducted energy devices in Victoria: how Tasers were rolled out statewide
Conducted energy devices — the electro-muscular weapons most people still call Tasers — went from a specialist tool carried by…
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Courts
Eliza HartmanJune 17, 2026
Gippsland teacher gets fresh sentence for school abuse crimes
A former PE teacher already serving Australia's longest child sexual abuse sentence has received an additional term for alleged crimes…
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Big Build Watch
Eliza HartmanJune 17, 2026
Allan Won’t Say What CFMEU Rot Has Cost Victorians
Premier Jacinta Allan has declined repeated opportunities to tell Victorians how much CFMEU-linked corruption may have added to the state's…
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Courts
Eliza HartmanJune 14, 2026
Beyond the CCO: Victoria’s full toolkit of intermediate sentences
Community correction orders get most of the headlines, but Victorian courts have a far broader range of intermediate sanctions available…
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Courts
Eliza HartmanJune 13, 2026
How Victoria’s Drug Court Tries to Break the Cycle
Victoria's specialist Drug Court offers eligible offenders treatment instead of prison. Eliza Hartman explains how the model works, who qualifies,…
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Courts
Eliza HartmanJune 13, 2026
When the DPP Drops a Case: How Victoria Decides
The Office of Public Prosecutions can discontinue a prosecution before trial — but it is not a simple call. Here…
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Big Build Watch
Eliza HartmanJune 13, 2026
Victoria’s Whistleblower Laws, Explained in Plain English
If you work in the public sector and suspect corruption or misconduct, Victoria's PID Act may protect you — but…
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Courts
Eliza HartmanJune 11, 2026
Sentenced as an Adult for Crimes Committed as a Child
When a person is charged as an adult for offences allegedly committed before they turned 18, Victorian courts must balance…
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Public Safety
Eliza HartmanJune 9, 2026
How Victoria Monitors Sex Offenders: Inside the Registry
Victoria's Sex Offenders Register operates largely out of public view. We explain how reporting obligations, monitoring and the limited disclosure…
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Courts
Eliza HartmanJune 9, 2026
Victoria’s ‘Less Lethal’ Weapons: What Police Won’t Say
From rubber bullets to stinger grenades, Victoria Police refuses to publicly disclose the make and model of crowd-control weapons —…
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