Tuesday, 16 June 2026

 Martin CAMERON (Morwell) (13:32): Residents in the Latrobe Valley have ongoing concerns over the crime rates that we are experiencing. We have one of the highest crime rates outside of metropolitan Melbourne. Whether it be stolen cars, assaults, break and enter or retail theft, our crime numbers are through the roof. We now have cars that are being driven into shops. I want to highlight two of the most recent that happened in Traralgon. There was a ram raid on a tobacco shop in Church Street on Saturday 13 June. On Wednesday 20 May there was a ram raid on an Indian restaurant, again in Church Street in Traralgon. Retailers and people right around the Latrobe Valley are concerned about the spike in crime in general but in particular the ram raids that we are starting to see more of now.

We are led to believe that there are a lot of criminals being funnelled from metropolitan Melbourne and pushed into the regional areas, and I think it is no coincidence that these crime rates have spiked and they have also gone through with these ram raids. The people of the Latrobe Valley are wanting some more police on the beat, and that is what the coalition will do: bring in 3000 more police when we win the election in November.