The Nationals and Liberals in government will put community safety first by recruiting an extra 3,000 police officers, reopening closed police stations and increasing the police presence in our communities.
Victorians deserve to feel safe in their homes, businesses and on their streets. That means more police on the beat, stronger laws and a bail system that does not allow repeat offenders to cycle through the courts time and again.
New crime statistics show exactly why action is needed and why our regions urgently need their fair share of services.
Regional Victoria continues to bear a disproportionate share of crime, with three regional local government areas ranking among the five highest recorded offence rates in the state.
Latrobe recorded 17,950 offences per 100,000 people, second only to Melbourne. Greater Shepparton recorded 14,737 offences per 100,000 people, while Northern Grampians recorded 14,675 offences per 100,000 people, an increase of 23.6 per cent in just 12 months.
These figures confirm what many regional communities already know, crime is rising while police resources have been stretched and local stations have had operating hours cut.
Regional Victorians should not have to accept higher crime rates while receiving less support. We deserve our fair share.
The Nationals and Liberals have a plan to recruit 3,000 additional police, reopen police stations, strengthen bail laws and ensure repeat offenders face meaningful consequences.
More police on the streets and tougher laws in the courts will help restore community confidence and make our communities safer.
Danny O’Brien MP
Leader of The Nationals in Victoria
