The South Australian attorney-general has taken steps to challenge the recent decision to grant parole to James Vlassakis, a convicted murderer involved in the infamous Snowtown killings.

The Parole Board, led by chair Frances Nelson, had initially decided in favor of Vlassakis’s release, citing his apparent “genuine remorse” as a significant factor in their decision.

However, this move has been met with strong opposition from the families of Vlassakis’s victims. They argue that his actions were too severe to warrant a return to society.

In response to these concerns, Attorney-General Kyam Maher has formally lodged an appeal to reassess the parole decision. This development has been confirmed by Michael David, the Parole Administrative Review Commissioner.

While the attorney-general’s office has acknowledged the appeal, they have refrained from providing further comments on the case. A representative explained that confidentiality rules surrounding reviews by the Parole Administrative Review Commissioner are stringent, noting that only the Commissioner or a court can authorize the release of specific details.

”There are strict confidentiality provisions governing reviews by the Parole Administrative Review Commissioner and under the Act, only the Commissioner or a Court can authorise disclosure of information,” a spokesperson said.

The matter will be heard by the commissioner, and a directions hearing will be held in the coming days to outline the next steps.

Vlassakis, the youngest of the three killers, was 19 when he was jailed for helping kill four of 11 people between 1992 and 1999.

His stepfather, John Bunting, was the ringleader who convinced Vlassakis and Robert Wagner to help him.

Bunting and Wagner remain behind bars.

The series of murders came to light when police discovered bodies decaying in barrels in an unused bank vault in Snowtown, about 150 kilometres north of Adelaide. 

Police found and linked another four bodies to the killers.

However, there were only murder convictions for three of them.

The Snowtown murders are considered one of the state’s worst killings.