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Community safety forgotten under Daniel Andrews’ budget

This week’s budget from the Andrews Labor Government has demonstrated that Daniel Andrews has dropped the ball on community safety.

Recent independent Crime Statistics Agency data confirms offending has spiked during COVID-19 despite heavy lockdown restrictions. Key community safety indicators continue to go backwards under Daniel Andrews, including:

  • Community confidence in Victoria Police reaching a decade low, with almost a 10 per cent decrease since the election of the Andrews Labor Government 
  • Rates of violent crimes against the person, property crimes and contravention of family violence orders above benchmark levels
  • Only 38.1 per cent of crimes against the person resolved within 30 days
  • Only 20.8 per cent – or around 1 in 5 – of property crimes solved within 30 days
  • No funding for tasers, despite repeated calls from The Police Association Victoria and Victorian Liberal Nationals

Furthermore, the Andrews Labor Government has outlined no plan to return PSOs to platforms or reopen closed Victoria Police stations as Victorians emerge from lockdown and return to work. Daniel Andrews continues to refuse to fund and support a comprehensive ‘Police in Schools’ program to tackle worsening youth offending.

The Victorian Liberal Nationals Back to Work Plan prioritises community safety, with a comprehensive plan to get police and PSO’s back into the community and reopen and rebuild key stations across the state. 

Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Police & Community Safety, David Southwick:

“With violent offending up and community confidence in our police at decade lows – Victorians deserve better than this budget delivers.

“Daniel Andrews has dropped on the ball on community safety and must prioritise positive policies such as police in schools to stop offending before it occurs.

“As Victorians move out of lockdown, we need a clear plan to get police back on the streets and PSOs back onto stations to keep local communities safe.” 

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