Wednesday, 1 April 2026

 Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): My question is to the Premier. A survey of Victoria Police members shows officers say they do not have the resources they need, yet yesterday the Premier rejected this. Are Victoria Police officers wrong, Premier?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:10): Our Labor government will always give Victoria Police the tools, the resources and the powers they need to keep the Victorian community safe. I note the reference that the Leader of the Opposition made to a survey. It spoke about the increased demand on Victoria Police to respond to mental health cases and to respond to family violence matters – two areas that we recognise are areas of importance because we held royal commissions into these matters. I note the recommendations of the mental health royal commission were not supported by the Liberal Party, and we all know what the former member for Burwood thought about the family violence royal commission.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier will come back to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: As part of supporting the work of Victoria Police, we respect Victoria Police, and the way you demonstrate that respect, in addition to providing resources to the largest police force in the nation and encouraging more people to join through the Made for More campaign and through additional resources and powers, is to respect the operational decisions of the Chief Commissioner of Police. I most certainly do respect the operational decisions that the chief commissioner is making. He is transforming the work of Victoria Police to get more police out onto the streets to respond to and to prevent crime. I saw that in Frankston just last week, when I was with the member for Frankston, talking to the men and women who work at the Frankston police station and hearing about the success of Operation Pulse, how they work in the Bayside shopping centre across the road and what a difference that is making in not just driving down crime in the Frankston area but keeping people safe. That comes from respecting the chief commissioner, not undermining him.

 Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (14:12): Over two-thirds of police officers say government support for frontline police has fallen in the past two years. Why has support for frontline police fallen under the Premier’s leadership?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:13): The statement made by the Leader of the Opposition is incorrect. Support has only increased for Victoria Police under our Labor government – new laws backing them on getting dangerous weapons off the streets with the stop-and-search powers. Getting machetes off the streets is another example of an operational decision that was undermined –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Nationals and the Leader of the Opposition will cease shouting across the table.

Jacinta ALLAN: An initiative that was brought to our government by Victoria Police to get dangerous weapons off the street has only been ridiculed and undermined by those opposite. But I tell you what, it has got thousands and thousands of dangerous weapons off the street. That is what backing Victoria Police looks like.