Tuesday, 16 June 2026

 Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (13:02): (2393) At the last council meeting the City of Ballarat passed a motion requesting the Victorian state government increase the number of police assigned to Ballarat by 21, bringing the total to 163. I fully support that, and I hope that everyone can get behind that. It follows a string of criminal incidents, including one on a local resident who just contacted me over the weekend. I saw the video footage where in broad daylight a hooded figure went to steal this person’s vehicle. Luckily they only left with their wallet. Their wife and children were not attacked or anything either. This was in a quiet suburban street. It was not in any sort of shady place, under a bridge or anything like that. So my question to the Minister for Police is: will you increase the number of police officers stationed in Ballarat, or will you continue to ignore the Ballarat community?