Thursday, 30 May 2024

 Kim WELLS (Rowville) (14:57): (676) My question is to the Minister for Police. When does the minister intend to provide additional resources to Knox police to address the rising youth crime hotspots in Wantirna South? 854 constituents signed a petition calling on the government to tackle youth crime in Wantirna South. Residents are witnessing the rise in crime with their own eyes. At a community crime summit with police, locals spoke of seeing home invasions and thefts on a weekly basis and no longer feeling safe leaving their homes. The writing is literally on the wall, with youth crime up 30 per cent and the government still negligently failing to keep Victorians safe. Crime in Knox is up 14 per cent, and residents are just terrified to leave their homes, yet this government has cut community crime prevention by 46 per cent in the recent budget and now refuses to even pay police their fair share. I look forward to hearing how the police minister intends to keep residents in Rowville safe.