Thursday, 2 April 2026

 Kim WELLS (Rowville) (10:05): This statement condemns the Allan Labor government and the Minister for Police for their continued failure to protect the Victorian community from the record crime crisis seen across the state. The recently released crime stats for the year to December 2025 reveal not only that Victorians are less safe than they ever have been before, with criminal offending reaching a new all-time high under Labor, but also concerning increases to the number of serious offences categories locally within the Rowville electorate. Rowville has experienced a disturbing 44.7 per cent rise in breach of family violence orders and a serious 25 per cent increase in motor vehicle theft. Concerningly, Lysterfield has seen a 21 per cent increase in the breach of family violence, while aggravated burglaries have skyrocketed by 116 per cent, and Wantirna South has seen a substantial 27 per cent increase in breach of family violence orders and a significant 14 per cent rise in motor vehicle theft. What is upsetting is that the Allan Labor government in last year’s budget cut Victoria’s police funding, forcing a serious reduction in opening hours of Rowville police station, which is now only open two days per week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, between 10 am and 6 pm. The Allan Labor government must urgently provide Victoria Police additional resources to restore the opening hours at Rowville and other police stations before it is too late.