A Melbourne woman, accused of stabbing a coworker, seeks bail under strict new laws amid rising crime.

A Melbourne woman accused of stabbing a 36-year-old woman on her way to work on October 2 is set to seek bail under Victoria’s new strict bail laws. The attack, captured on CCTV, left victim Wan Lai with non-life-threatening injuries. Lauren Darul, who is already on bail for another offense, faces charges including assault and breaching bail conditions. The incident comes amid a 16% rise in Victoria’s crime rate. The state’s tougher bail rules, which deny bail to repeat or serious offenders, have increased remand rates. Officials say the changes aim to reduce reoffending, while leaders debate broader safety measures, including expanded surveillance and Queensland’s Jack’s Law, which allows random metal-detection searches.