Yesterday's budget by the Andrews Labor Government has jeopardised the safety of Victorian communities by failing to deliver key funding for key police and crime prevention initiatives.
This budget has exposed the ongoing community safety consequences of Daniel Andrews' COVID-19 lockdowns and failure to keep community safety as a core priority of government, including;
community confidence in Victoria Police remains at a decade year low,
rates of family violence intervention order breaches up over 20 per cent since 2019-20,
no funding or commitment to implement Police response times,
no funding for additional Tasers, despite ongoing calls from the Victorian Police Association and the Victorian Liberal Nationals,
only 22.9 per cent of property crimes were resolved within 30 days due to frontline police reprioritisations, and;
no funding to reform the failed regulation of Victoria's private security industry.
Daniel Andrews' failure to deliver key policing resources comes as independent Crime Statistics Agency data confirms increases in offences recorded across the March, June, September and December quarters of 2020, as more than 245 additional crimes a day are committed in Victoria since the election of the Andrews Labor Government.
Victorians need a real plan to properly resource our frontline police and get them back on the street and in the community to strengthen relationships and keep Victorians safe.
As stated by Shadow Minister for Police and Crime Prevention, David Southwick:
"It's clear community safety has become another Labor COVID casualty and we need a real plan to get our police back in the community and keeping Victorians safe."
"Under Daniel Andrews' leadership, community confidence in Victoria Police is at an 11 year low and continues to go backwards.
"This budget has failed to deliver the support our frontline officers need to get on top of worsening crime and begin rebuilding a positive relationship with the Victorian community."
