Tuesday, 18 June 2024

 Kim O’KEEFFE (Shepparton) (15:33): I wish to acknowledge Gina Sozzi, a proud business owner of Bicaro’s restaurant in Shepparton, who reached out to me recently to raise her concerns about the increasing crime rate in my electorate. Gina and her husband Sam’s restaurant has been broken into three times in the space of a month, in which stock was stolen and damage done to the building. Gina said it is hard enough trying to run a small business, and this just makes life tougher. Gina said something has to be done and has called for tougher bail reform that will get these reoffenders off the street. Gina said, ‘I want to go to work not stressing about another break-in.’

Ozmosis is a clothing store in the CBD of Shepparton. It was broken into on 15 May, when $15,000 worth of stock was stolen and $5000 in damage was done to the front entrance and cabinets inside the store. In Mooroopna three businesses recently suffered severe damage to their buildings with a significant cost to repair. With the rise in crime, communities are feeling unsafe in their own homes and businesses are constantly worried if they will be the next target.

The Labor government’s recent decision to weaken bail laws and abolish the offence of committing an indictable offence while on bail has left these communities bewildered and feeling unsafe, knowing that the offenders are still out there and in many cases are likely to return. Our police are frustrated and are doing all that they can by getting offenders in front of the magistrate, only for them to receive a slap on the wrist and be back out on the street the very same day. We need our communities to feel safe and to have faith in the legal system. What will it take for this government to get serious on crime and bail penalties?