Vic man wants to change triple-murder plea

A Victorian man wants to change his plea after admitting he stabbed his neighbour to death then gunned down his victim's elderly parents too.

Ian Francis Jamieson, 65, this month admitted three counts of murder over the October 2014 slaying, then fired his barrister and told his new legal counsel he wanted to change his plea from guilty.

The Victorian Supreme Court court has previously heard Jamieson stabbed Greg Holmes, 48, after the two fought over the use of a dirt road near their Wedderburn properties in central Victoria.

Jamieson had then shot Mr Holmes' parents Mary, 75, and Peter Lockhart, 78, because he figured he was going to jail anyway, the Crown said.

Jamieson's new defence barrister, Daryl Wraith, told a hearing on Friday his client wanted to change his plea.

Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth said that would only be allowed if Jamieson could demonstrate exceptional circumstances.

Jamieson had previously made full admissions to the crimes and had repeatedly "flip-flopped" on the matter, she said.

"He had the gun. He had the knife.

"There's no question he committed the acts," Justice Hollingworth said.

A plea hearing in Bendigo earlier this month heard Jamieson claimed Mr Holmes' use of a dirt road near his property was resulting in dust getting into his drinking water.

Jamieson had told police he went to Mr Holmes' house on October 22, 2014, armed with a knife because the last time they'd argued, the younger man had pulled a gun on him, the court heard.

"One thing led to another and the next moment it was fisticuffs," Jamieson had told police.

Jamieson had stabbed Mr Holmes and decided he might as well kill the others too, Prosecutor Andrew Tinney said.

Justice Hollingworth said there was a suggestion Jamieson may have been acting in self-defence in one instance.

But there had never been any material before the court that he had a defence to the second and third counts of murder, she said.

"He's never put forward before this court any possible defence, except to one," she said.

The matter was adjourned until Thursday May 5.