The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has left the door open to sentencing reform, saying the community wants “consequences” for “brazen, shocking behaviour” amid concerns about violent crime.

The comments mark a shift in language and come after a cabinet subcommittee met on Monday to address growing concerns about youth crime in the state and police and union calls for tougher sentences for repeat offenders.

It follows several high-profile incidents, including an allegedly stolen car driven into Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall , an alleged machete clash at Northland shopping centre in May and the alleged murder of two boys walking home from basketball in Cobblebank last month. Less than 1% of population responsible for 40% of all offending in Victoria as crime rate climbs Read

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