Tobacco store firebombings have been a plague on Victoria for over two years. There have been more than 200 of them, one of which saw an innocent life lost.
A shooting on Tuesday night at a Melbourne café, where innocent Victorians were in the line of gunfire, has reportedly been linked to the tobacco wars.
Yet how has the Government responded? By putting out a media release that proposes some new measures, sometime this year.
New crime data shows just how out of control Labor’s crime crisis has become, and how dismissive the government is towards keeping Victorians safe.
The numbers are damning. In the 12 months to December 2025, a total of 630,592 crimes were committed, the equivalent of one crime every 50 seconds. Motor vehicle theft increased 11 per cent, the equivalent of one car stolen every 16.4 minutes. And weapons offences, including machetes, increased 10 per cent.
Stronger action on crime is needed now. Victoria needs tougher penalties, real deterrence, and weapons removed from our streets.
The Nationals have a clear plan to keep Victorians safe. We will legislate Jack’s Law to empower police to get knives and machetes off the streets, we will introduce Break Bail, Face Jail for repeat offenders, and we will invest in youth diversion programs to steer young people away from crime.
The Allan Government cannot manage the crime crisis, and Victorians are paying with their lives. It’s beyond time things changed.
Danny O’Brien MP
Leader of The Nationals
