The Victorian government is set to outlaw suspended sentences for serious crimes in a major policy blackflip before this year's state election.
The new legislation makes the Labor government's policy nearly identical to one proposed by the opposition.
"This fiction of imposing a jail sentence but not actually sending you to jail is gone," said Victorian Attorney-General Rob Hulls.
"If a judge says you're going to jail, you're going to jail, and under these reforms you're not going to have this myth that you can be sentenced to jail but not serve any time."
The change will be officially announced by the government on Friday, both Melbourne's The Age and the Herald Sun reported.
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Suspended sentences are expected to be scrapped for 15 serious offences that involve violence and sex crimes and lead to more people being jailed for rape and robbery.
When scrapping suspended sentences was first proposed by the state Liberals earlier this year, critics warned the move would mean Victoria would need a new jail.
Corrections Victoria took out a newspaper advertisement on Friday for immediate vacancies for prison officers in Melbourne's remand centre.
