Wednesday, 5 February 2025

 Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:17): My question is to the Premier. Two years ago Atem was killed in front of his home in Wyndham Vale in an unprovoked shooting at just 29. Cruelly, only weeks ago his brother Lino was stabbed to death at a local park. He was only 24. Can the Premier tell the father of Lino and Atem just who in her government is responsible for failing to stop the growth in violent crime after the death of his first son and now the murder of his second?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:17): In acknowledging the Leader of the Opposition’s question, certainly our hearts do go out to Atem and Lino’s father and his broader family. It is absolutely heartbreaking to lose a child, but it must be absolutely devastating to know that they have been lost as a result of a crime – absolutely, absolutely devastating. And that is why the additional police resources we have put into the Wyndham Vale community, the additional investments in crime prevention and community safety and the additional investments that have been made in schools and mental health services in and around the Wyndham Vale and the Werribee communities are just so important.

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, this is a question. We are looking for the facts on this. When you talk about extra police resources in the area, Wyndham Vale station is closed and there are less police available. Explain that to the family of these loved ones.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, there is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: There are more than 100 additional police in the Wyndham Vale community today, and if the Leader of the Opposition wants to make this about politics, his government, when they had the chance, not one police officer was funded in this state.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Points of order will be heard in silence. I remind members that points of order are not an opportunity to make a statement to the house.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the House, you are warned.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question. We are after who is responsible. It is a very narrow question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier will come back to the question. I ask the Premier to be mindful of being relevant.

Jacinta ALLAN: When you talk about taking on responsibility, as Premier I and all of us as members of government take very seriously the responsibility that we have as members of government, as members of Parliament, to lead our communities and take action to support our communities. That is why investment in schools, investment in mental health services, investment in community safety measures, investment in building more police stations, investment in staffing those police stations –

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, two boys have been murdered. The Premier is defying your ruling. She was debating the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: Out of respect to Atem and Lino’s family let us reflect on what we have to do in this place. Keeping community safe requires investment in police. It requires investment too in those things that prevent crime before it starts, and that is exactly what we are doing with the additional education resources, the TAFE resources, the investments in mental health. We take our responsibility very, very seriously to make these critical investments that are about supporting families like Atem and Lino’s, because I want no father or mother to go through that grief, and that is why we are going to look at what more can and must be done.

 Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): Lino and Atem’s father Deng recently stated:

I never got justice for two years for Atem, and [for it] to happen to Lino now … I want to know …

…

I want justice.

Premier, why is it in Victoria that criminals are repeatedly bailed after their crimes and so are your ministers for failing to take responsibility?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:22): All of us who are parents – all of us; we are all members of a family – absolutely understand that heartfelt plea for justice when you lose a loved one in these tragic and devastating circumstances. This is a matter that goes through the court processes, and I am not going to cut across those court processes, but we will continue to invest in Victoria Police, we will continue to invest in our schools and mental health services and we will continue to look at what more needs to be done to change the laws to strengthen community safety in this state.