The Nationals’ candidate for Gippsland East, Gemma Rendell, says the Liberals and Nationals will deliver the toughest crackdown on crime in Victoria in a generation, restoring community safety and backing police with the laws and resources they need.
Ms Rendell said crime had become one of the biggest concerns raised by East Gippsland residents.
“People are fed up with offenders being treated as though they are the victims, while law-abiding Victorians are left feeling unsafe in their own communities,” Ms Rendell said.
“A Coalition Government will put community safety first by employing an extra 3,000 frontline police, introducing tougher bail laws, strengthening penalties for repeat and violent offenders, and ensuring police have the powers they need to do their job.”
Ms Rendell said the Coalition’s $100 million Safer Communities Plan would target crime at every level and said funding would be made possible by pausing Labor’s costly Suburban Rail Loop and cutting corruption, reducing the public service and halting the massive cost overruns on major projects.
“We’ll have more police, reopen stations that have been closed or had their hours reduced, introduce Break Bail, Face Jail, expand Adult Crime, Adult Time, tackle organised crime and illegal tobacco, strengthen police pursuit laws, crack down on knife crime and graffiti, and restore commonsense move-on powers.”
She said the plan also recognised the importance of preventing young people from entering the justice system.
“We will invest in proven youth intervention and mentoring programs that provide discipline, education, counselling and family support to help steer young people away from a life of crime.”
Ms Rendell said the Coalition would also introduce Clare’s Law, giving Victorians the right to ask police whether a current or former partner had a history of serious family violence.
“This is about preventing crime before it occurs and giving people the information they need to protect themselves and their families.”
Ms Rendell said Victoria deserved a justice system that stood with victims and stopped treating repeat offenders with kid gloves.
“Crime has consequences, and under a Liberals and Nationals Government there will once again be consequences for those who choose to break the law.
“Our police deserve to know they have the backing of their government, and our communities deserve to feel safe again,” she said.
Caption: The Nationals’ candidate for Gippsland East, Gemma Rendell, speaking with local Victoria Police personnel.
