Wednesday, 4 March 2026

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:50): My constituency question is to the Minister for Police. Residents in South Melbourne have contacted me with concerns about community safety after seeking police assistance only to find that their local police station was closed. One constituent had rocks thrown through his window late one night, and when he attempted to report the crime the following day, a Friday, he found the station padlocked shut, despite the advertised opening hours of 7 am till 11 pm. He was then advised that the station would remain closed all weekend due to low staffing levels, forcing him to travel into the city to make a police report. In South Melbourne and across the City of Port Phillip crime is rising, and the community feels less safe. Last year significant increases in offences such as burglary, assault and theft were recorded in this area, and only last night we heard of the machete attack in Port Melbourne. The crime just goes on and on and it is just out of control, not just here but right across my electorate. The question I ask is: why are South Melbourne residents left without a staffed police station when local crime is rising?