Wednesday, 14 May 2025

Police resources

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (19:08): (1135) My adjournment today is for the Minister for Police, and the action that I seek is that the minister provide the appropriate funding to employ the 1100 police that have been promised and the resources and funding to ensure police can do their job to keep the community safe.

I would like to particularly congratulate the new Chief Commissioner of Police Mike Bush on the job, but at the same time I say to the police minister we must make sure that the police commissioner is not set up to fail, and that will only happen if the police minister provides the funding for Mike Bush and the Victoria Police members.

Today mayors from seven councils – Glen Eira, Bayside, Port Phillip, Monash, Stonnington, Boroondara and Kingston – wrote to the Minister for Police demanding funding for community safety to tackle the crime crisis. These councils have said that they have seen a rise in aggravated burglary, especially youth crime; graffiti; public drug use; and antisocial behaviour. They have seen reports of antisemitic incidents, particularly in my area of Glen Eira and in Port Phillip. They have seen retail, hospitality and small businesses impacted by vandalism and theft, and they have seen homelessness and a lack of wraparound services for many of the vulnerable.

Social cohesion being under strain, particularly around public housing areas, has also impacted constituents, particularly when it comes to crime.

These councils are calling for an increase in frontline police, particularly in hotspots; expanded youth crime prevention programs, desperately needed; more support for Neighbourhood Watch – they do an unbelievable job; and more support around shopping precincts, especially where there are mental health and drug addiction issues. Councils have been pressured to respond to the crime crisis because the Allan Labor government have vacated the space. Councils employing security guards, which we are seeing with the Melbourne City Council for police work, is a second -rate solution for a first-rate problem. Our communities deserve police officers with police powers to ensure their safety and the government stepping up to provide the 1100 police. We cannot have security guards doing police work. We need police with the powers doing that police work in the councils, including Melbourne City Council. Residents should not have to pay for private security guards to patrol their streets like they do in my area of Caulfield. In light of the budget, the government must provide the funding for police to do their jobs and the resources needed so Victorians and our community can once again feel safe.