Victoria Police are appealing for public assistance to locate 33-year-old Hayley Terei, who is wanted on warrant following her failure to appear in court and the revocation of her bail.
Terei, who is known to frequent the Hastings, Frankston, and Heidelberg areas, is described as approximately 158cm tall, with a medium build and hazel eyes.
The warrant stems from charges laid in 2023, when Terei was arrested over a burglary in which firearms were allegedly stolen. She was also charged with breaching a community corrections order. The original incident was part of a broader case involving community safety concerns over the theft of unsecured weapons.
Terei was granted bail in May 2024 after telling the Supreme Court of Victoria she was an Aboriginal woman of the Yorta Yorta nation—a claim considered under recent amendments to the Victorian Bail Act, which require courts to account for the over-representation and systemic disadvantage of Aboriginal people in custody.
During that hearing, Justice Rita Incerti acknowledged the claim’s relevance, stating:
“Ms Terei identifies as an Aboriginal person. The Bail Act requires the court to take that into account as a factor contributing to unique vulnerabilities and potential risks in custody.”
However, the court later received recorded phone calls indicating that Terei’s mother is alive and living in New Zealand, contradicting earlier statements that she was deceased and of Aboriginal descent.
In revoking bail in July 2024, Justice Incerti said:
“The phone recordings provide strong evidence that Ms Terei is not an Aboriginal person and sought to gain some benefit in the bail application on the basis of identifying as an Aboriginal person.”
“The amendments to the Bail Act do not create a more lenient test for Aboriginal persons, but they do require courts to properly consider factors unique to them. Misuse of this provision undermines the intent and significance of that legislation.”
Terei is now being sought on warrant and may face further charges, including perverting the course of justice.
Anyone with information about Hayley Terei’s whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or lodge a confidential report online.
