Thursday, 20 November 2025

 Sam GROTH (Nepean) (14:19): My question is to the Premier. Victoria Police’s latest annual report shows over two-thirds of Victorians do not feel safe on public transport at night. Which stations will the government be cutting PSOs from?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Laverton, this is your last warning.

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:19): I thank the Shadow Minister for Public Transport for his question. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to talk about the work that we are doing to keep the community safe.

Brad Rowswell: On a point of order, I am noting, Speaker, and you will have too, the framing of the Premier’s answer always is in the context of ‘This gives me an opportunity to’. The standing orders do not allow for opportunities to be given; the standing orders provide for ministers and the Premier to answer the question.

The SPEAKER: What is your point of order?

Brad Rowswell: My point of order is relevance.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has only been on her feet for less than 20 seconds. I will give the Premier an opportunity to answer the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: I am delighted to have the opportunity to answer the question and share with the house the work that we are doing backing the work of the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police to keep our community safe, whether it is the work that we are doing to introduce adult time for violent crime, bringing consequences for the behaviour that is causing concern for our community –

Sam Groth: On a point of order, Speaker, the standing orders require the Premier to be direct when answering the question, and the question did not ask anything about what she is speaking about. It spoke directly to public transport, train stations and PSOs.

Mary-Anne Thomas: Speaker, on the point of order, the Premier has now been on her feet for less than 40 seconds. She has already gone directly to the question. I ask that you rule the point of order out of order. She is talking about safety on public transport.

The SPEAKER: A very short time has elapsed since the Premier was on her feet. The Premier will come back to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: Whether it is the work we are doing around listening to victims of crime and having stronger consequences or the work we are doing through establishing the violence reduction unit to prevent crime and also, importantly, use data – and it is on this point of using data and police intelligence that we are backing the chief commissioner’s work –

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question. It was clear: how many PSOs will they cut?

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: It is on backing the work of the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police as he overhauls the organisation to get more police and PSOs out on the streets but also to do it in the places and at times when the data and the intelligence guide Victoria Police that they are needed the most.

Sam Groth: On a point of order, Speaker, the Victorians who do not feel safe at train stations deserve to know which stations they are going to be cut from. I ask you to bring the Premier back to the question.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: The new chief commissioner understands that PSOs are a critically important crime-fighting resource, and how that resource is best deployed is determined, let us be clear, by the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, who we back and who has looked at intelligence and data.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Warrandyte, this is your last warning.

Jacinta ALLAN: It is that police data that has provided the information that shows that the busiest times for crime on our transport network are in the morning and in late afternoons, especially around 3 o’clock in the afternoon. But as we know, because of the previous policy settings, PSOs can only be deployed from 6 pm. This is about understanding that responding to crime should not be a static response. It should be responding to crime where you can use your resources at the times and places where they are needed. And that is why not only will the PSOs be in place at times when the police data tells Victoria Police when crime is occurring, they will also be no longer static and stuck at stations. They will be able to ride the trains. They will be on every line riding the trains, responding to and preventing crime. We will continue to back the chief commissioner and his work to get more police and PSOs out on the streets preventing and responding to crime.

 Sam GROTH (Nepean) (14:24): There were 2000 more criminal incidents on public transport in the last year, an increase of 18 per cent. Over 200 PSOs could be employed for a year with just one day of this government’s interest bill. Why is the Premier putting the safety of Victorians at risk because this government cannot manage money?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:25): I absolutely reject that incorrect claim from the member for Nepean. We have here in Victoria more police on the beat than any other jurisdiction in the nation. What we are doing is supporting and backing 100 per cent the work of the chief commissioner in overhauling Victoria Police to have the resources where they are needed the most – supporting the Victorian community in responding to crime. We know that a visible police and PSO presence is so important in preventing crime as well, and that is why we will continue to back the response from Victoria Police, putting police where the crime is: on trains, around train stations and in shopping centres. That is what backing Victoria Police looks like.

Sam Groth: On a point of order, Speaker, there were more than 15,000 incidents –

The SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order, member for Nepean. The Premier has concluded her answer.