Tuesday, 22 September 2026

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (15:10): (2636) My question is to the Minister for Police. There are currently 1400 vacancies on Victoria Police rosters and over 40 police stations, including Castlemaine and Kyneton, on reduced opening hours. I also spoke with a police officer recently who said there were no funds available for them to order name badges and there were delays ordering drug tests, as money had run out. Yet, just ahead of the state election, I was advised that Victoria Police are running a statewide operation known as 90 Days of Activation. It starts this week, deploying extra frontline police to patrol certain areas in Bendigo, including the Marketplace shopping centre, railway precinct, CBD and Rosalind Park. Minister, why is it that we are seeing an increase in police patrols just ahead of the state election, when local residents have been calling for a greater police presence to combat rising crime for years? The Nationals in government are committed to recruiting 3000 more police and reopening stations and will make sure that those who break bail face the consequences.