Thursday, 6 February 2025

 Anthony CARBINES (Ivanhoe – Minister for Police, Minister for Community Safety, Minister for Victims, Minister for Racing) (14:37): I am very pleased to say that we want to thank Victoria Police for the fact that 24/7 emergency response is available to all Victorians at all times. We are able to do that because we fund the largest police service in the country, a $4.5 billion investment since we were elected to office. It is also part of 3600 additional funded police positions since we came to office. The report on government services, when we go to that report, continues to remind everybody in this place that at the top of the pops is Victoria Police when it comes to the largest police service in the country. It does mean that we need to fund our capital works – over a billion dollars of capital works investment here in Victoria – because we need to make sure we have got the stations in the communities so that our extra police are able to work and provide the community with the safety that they deserve and they need.

That is why last week I was out at Point Cook – and I want to thank the member for Point Cook and those in the western suburbs for their advocacy – to see the sod turned on the new $25 million police station that will open over the next year to provide vital services to those in Point Cook and the broader western suburbs community. It builds on the other investments that we have seen in South Melbourne, thanks to the member for Albert Park – a new $52 million police station there in South Melbourne – and the member for Narre Warren South and the member for Narre Warren North for the new, expanded and refurbished Narre Warren police station and the temporary services that we are providing to that community. The member for Bass and the member for Cranbourne have worked very hard to make sure that the Clyde North police station is coming out of the ground. You cannot miss it down there in Clyde North. It is fantastic; it will provide a massive 24-hour police service for the people of Clyde North. Can I say again that I am looking forward to joining even some from the other side at the Benalla police station opening in the next couple of months, a $28 million service that will provide great community safety initiatives in the north-east of Victoria. Again, if you invest in Victoria Police, you keep the community safe, unlike those opposite.

The SPEAKER: Can I remind members that it is not appropriate to refer to people in the gallery.