Tuesday, 11 August 2026

 Paul EDBROOKE (Frankston – Minister for Police, Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:08): Victoria has the largest police force in the country. These men and women work tirelessly to keep Victorians safe 24/7. As the Minister for Police, I want to thank them because they should be proud of the work they do for our state, and I can say proudly that Labor will always back them. Victorians know that Labor will back police and back the Chief Commissioner of Police. We have invested a record $5 billion and funded more than 3600 additional frontline police. Our Made for More campaign is pulling record applications, and the academy is full. Labor has delivered the toughest bail laws in the country, adult time for violent crime and a nation-leading machete ban. And it is working. There were over 76,000 arrests in the year to March – 210 arrests every day. Crime is down almost 3 per cent, youth offending down 6 per cent and aggravated burglary down 22 per cent. Crime is falling thanks to Labor’s tough laws, but there is always more work to do. The Premier has been clear: when crimes are committed, they will be dealt with as communities expect.

I hear a lot of talk from those opposite, but the last time the Liberals were in government they cut $130 million from Victoria Police and did not fund a single extra officer above attrition – not one. Now they are back with the same playbook: $40 billion in One Nation–coalition cuts.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, ministers statements are not an opportunity to attack the opposition.

The SPEAKER: I do not uphold the point of order. The minister was comparing a previous government minister.

Paul EDBROOKE: Facts are just facts; the truth is the truth. I was always proud, when I was a firefighter, to serve with Victoria Police. Now it is the honour of my life to be the police minister and back in Victoria Police and back in the chief commissioner. It is only this Labor government that will back Victoria Police every single day in keeping Victorians safe.