Thursday, 4 June 2026

 Brad BATTIN (Berwick) (09:50): Just this gone weekend an off-duty police officer was walking through Southbank on his way home from work after protecting the community and finishing work at 11 pm. On his way home he was set upon by three offenders, which is becoming quite common here in Victoria, and he was viciously assaulted. The question has to be: how? How does this continue to happen? How does an off-duty officer on his way home from protecting the community get assaulted by offenders, with one of them being the person who allegedly set the fire at the 80 Proof factory, causing $4.6 million of damage? It is a great question. Why was he back on the street? It is not even bail. The sentencing that he got was effectively giving him a 12-month supervision order so he could go back out and commit further crimes, and those that put him away are the ones that are paying the price.

Add this to Clyde North shopping centre. We had a violent attack where people attacked each other in there with machetes and baseball bats, and people genuinely feel unsafe going in there to shop. We have got a crisis here in Victoria. Car thefts are up, assaults are up and aggravated burglaries are up, but police numbers are down. We have got over 1500 vacancies; more than 500 full-time equivalent positions have not been filled under this government. It is a simple question during this crime crisis to the Premier: where the bloody hell are you?

The SPEAKER: Order! Unparliamentary language, member for Berwick!