Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refrained from explicitly endorsing Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan’s recent “adult time for violent crime” reform initiatives, which could potentially result in life sentences for young offenders as young as 14.

The two leaders appeared together at a press conference to celebrate the launch of Melbourne’s eagerly awaited West Gate Freeway Tunnel, just days after Allan’s divisive policy announcement.

Allan’s administration has unveiled plans to propose new legislation aimed at intensifying the legal consequences for youth offenders involved in grave crimes such as machete assaults, home invasions, carjackings, and armed robberies. These offenders would be prosecuted in adult courts and face more severe punishments.

During his first visit to Victoria since the announcement, Albanese was asked to share his perspective on the controversial proposal.

While he did not explicitly state his position on the reforms, he acknowledged that the premier’s decision was made with the intention of ensuring community safety.

“Australians want to be safe. State governments determine their own policy, but Australians do want to be safe,” he told reporters.

“So I certainly understand that the Premier has made this decision, which is consistent with her commitment to keeping Victorians safe.”

Under the proposed laws hoped to be passed by parliament before the end of the year, children as young as 14 will be tried in adult court for a range of violent offences, with the maximum penalty to be raised to life imprisonment.

The reforms are akin to the Queensland government’s tough “adult crime, adult time” laws.

“We want courts to treat these violent children like adults, so jail is more likely and sentences are longer,” Allan said at a press conference earlier this week announcing the measures.

“This will mean more violent youth offenders going to jail, facing serious consequences.”

But the premier came under fire from her colleagues across the bench and legal experts, who claim the laws would impede the state’s human rights obligations.

They have also questioned the timing of the announcement, as the premier seeks another term at next year’s looming state election.

Senator Lidia Thorpe said the laws were not about safety, but the election, adding that Indigenous and ethnic children would be unfairly targeted.

“The Premier wants to lock up 14-year-olds for life and pretend that’s leadership. It’s unfathomably cruel and the most shameful attempt to cling to power,” she said.

“Every child Labor locks up is a child the government has already failed — in housing, mental health, disability support, education and care.

“Prison makes children more traumatised, more disconnected, and more likely to reoffend. It is harmful and does not make anyone’s communities safer.”

The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Human Rights Law Centre, and Amnesty International have all strongly condemned the laws and called for the state to reverse their course of action, saying the penalties are “cruel”, “shameful” and “inhumane”.