Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Crime

Bridget VALLENCE (Evelyn) (19:08): (1215) Crime in Victoria has soared to a record high. The most recent data published by the Crime Statistics Agency is deeply troubling: a criminal offence is committed every 50.3 seconds, a car is stolen every 17 minutes and youth are overrepresented in violent attacks. Crime is increasingly impacting my local community, with criminal incidents up 22.1 per cent in the Yarra Ranges. Over the past 12 months, 8236 criminal offences were reported in the Yarra Ranges, with Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Chirnside Park, Coldstream and Montrose suffering significant increases. A deep dive into the data reveals that in the Yarra Ranges aggravated robbery is up 82 per cent, motor vehicle theft is up 79 per cent, residential non-aggravated burglary is up 43 per cent and residential aggravated burglary is up a staggering 177 per cent. The action I seek is from the Minister for Police to advise what additional resources the government will provide to Yarra Ranges police, particularly the Lilydale and Mount Evelyn police stations, to help our hardworking local police tackle this rise in crime across the Yarra Ranges.

One of the highest priorities of any government should be community safety, yet the Allan Labor government has been reluctant to ensure laws are strong enough to deter crime or to respect and resource our police properly to tackle crime, the crime crisis and keep residents and small businesses in my community safe. Our community has seen the Lilydale football grandstand set on fire; several bus shelters smashed; the Seville tobacco shop firebombed, causing serious damage to adjoining businesses; armed robberies at the Wandin pharmacy and at supermarkets in Mooroolbark and Montrose; and a sharp rise in theft from people’s homes, cars and farms. The situation is alarming and comes as the Allan Labor government cut nearly $50 million from the Victoria Police budget despite a shortfall of over 1100 police officers across Victoria occurring on this Labor government’s watch. Our local Yarra Ranges police do tremendous work in difficult conditions but are let down by this Labor government’s mismanagement and financial incompetence, leaving frontline officers overstretched and underequipped. Only the Victorian Liberals will put community safety first. Community safety has to be the number one priority. It is a significant concern for residents and small businesses in my community. We must arrest this rise in crime and put community safety first.