"The statements attributed to the ministers are deeply troubling. They represent a threat to the rule of law. They should never have been made." Justice Beech-Jones said. Martin Pakula. Credit:Rob Gunstone Victorian Attorney-General Martin Pakula also hit back at the federal frontbenchers, warning they have come "dangerously close" to contempt of court. Following national agreement to toughen parole and bail laws to prevent violent extremists being released from prison, Health Minister Greg Hunt and Human Services Minister Alan Tudge claimed Victorian judges were failing the public. Triggered by recent courtroom comments from Victorian Supreme Court Chief Justice Marilyn Warren and Justice Mark Weinberg, Mr Hunt said their apparent support for lighter sentences was "deeply concerning". Mr Tudge said the public was "fed up".

Victorian MP Michael Sukkar told The Australian that judges' attitudes had "eroded any trust that remained in our legal system". Health Minister Greg Hunt will announce the Turnbull government will subsidise a hepatitis C treatment, Epclusa. Credit:Peter Rae But Mr Pakula said the ministers had launched an "outrageous attack" and came "dangerously close" to contempt of court. "You've got three Commonwealth ministers in what is clearly an orchestrated political attack trying to put improper pressure and trying to exercise undue and improper influence on the court," he told ABC radio. Last week, Chief Justice Warren was reported as saying there was an "enormous gap" between the severity of sentences in her state and NSW. According to the ABC, she said NSW put less weight on personal circumstances. In comments at the same appeal, Justice Weinberg said the gap between the two states was "extremely worrying".

The judges' comments emerged days after the Victorian Court of Appeal considered a challenge by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions against the 10-year sentence imposed on Victorian Sevdet​ Besim​, the man responsible for the Anzac Day plot to behead a police officer and turn his gun on the commemorative march. "The state courts should not be places for ideological experiments in the face of global and local threats from Islamic extremism that has led to such tragic losses," Mr Hunt told Fairfax Media on Tuesday. Mr Tudge told Sky News there was a crime-related crisis in Victoria and said the public was "fed up in relation to people who are getting out on parole". "There has been comments made by some judges to say that the NSW sentences are tougher than the Victorian sentences and frankly I think most of the Australian public will say that you can't get tough enough on people who are committing terrorism offences," he said. Mr Pakula told Fairfax Media federal Attorney-General George Brandis should "counsel his colleagues that these reckless attempts to strong arm the courts border on contempt, and have the potential to jeopardise proceedings".