Member for Gippsland South and Leader of The Nationals Peter Ryan is calling for a new police station to be built in Loch Sport following reports the under resourced station responded to nearly 100 more reported incidents than any other one officer station in Police Region 5 between 2006 and 2008.
“Clearly Loch Sport should have a new police station, and a greater police presence,” Mr Ryan said.
Mr Ryan, the Shadow Minister for Police, said that research shows between 2006 and 2008 the Loch Sport Police Station responded to a total of 191 reported incidents, 95 more than Mallacoota which is also service by one officer..
“The Loch Sport has a crime-rate 58 per cent higher than any other one police officer town in Police Region 5, which encompasses a significant portion of Gippsland,” Mr Ryan said.
“Loch Sport is coping with a case load significantly higher than other similar coastal holiday towns such as Mallacoota and more than 10 times that of other one officer stations such as Buchan which had just 19 incidents and Bendoc which had 15.
“Even larger communities, which are similarly staffed and equipped, such as Briagolong and Bruthen had significantly less reported incidents during the period, responding to 45 incidents each.”
Mr Ryan said the police station which currently services Loch Sport was relocated to the site years ago from Churchill and is currently in a very ordinary state.
“The figures do not lie. The Loch Sport Police station is responding to far more incidents than a station of its size should be, yet the Government continues to let its functions be carried out in a decaying former police building, deemed not good enough for the residents of Churchill,” Mr Ryan said.
Mr Ryan said the community of Loch Sport was more deserving of a police station built to the size and staffing levels similar to that in communities such as Heyfield, Rosedale, Yarram and Maffra.
“During the period between 2006 and 2008 the Heyfield Police Station responded to 171 incidents, 20 less than Loch Sport, despite it being assigned four officers and having significantly larger facilities,” Mr Ryan said.
“Rosedale, a three officer station, responded to 113 incidents while Maffra and Yarram, both six officer stations, responded to 225 and 229 reported incidents respectively.
“These stations are examples of the kind’s facilities which are needed when responding to incidents at levels such as Loch Sport, yet the Government has failed to act and continues to provide the community of Loch Sport with facilities more suited to a town that has 10 times less reported incidents.
“John Brumby and his Police Minister Bob Cameron must fund a new police station in Loch Sport. Summer and holiday periods always bring an influx of tourist into the town and the current difficulties for police are only going to rise.
“The residents of Loch Sport deserve better.”
Media contact: Ben Bulmer (03) 5144 1987
