Wednesday, 11 September 2024

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Youth crime

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:02): My question is to the Premier. Over the past 10 years the number of home invasions committed by youth offenders has surged by almost 1000 per cent. The Attorney-General has said that she does not ‘want a discussion about a youth crime crisis that doesn’t exist’. Does the Premier stand by the statistics or the Attorney-General’s denial of a youth crime crisis?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:03): In answering the Leader of the Opposition’s question I would like to thank the Attorney-General for her outstanding leadership, along with the Minister for Police and the Minister for Corrections, who have been working very, very closely with Victoria Police, the courts and the broader youth justice sector to address what is a challenge for our community around a small group of young people who are undertaking repeat youth offending. That is how Victoria Police categorise this group, and that is why the Leader of the Opposition, who of course referenced a 10-year period, failed to mention in referencing that 10-year period that we have invested more than $4 billion into Victoria Police and have put an additional 3600 police on the street. I must say we had a bit to do on that front because in the previous four years not one single police officer was funded and employed here in Victoria.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the Premier, who forgot to mention her Minister for Police, is debating the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant. The Premier to return to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: I understand why the member for Brighton and those opposite are a little touchy on this matter, because – I will repeat – they failed to fund one single police officer during the time they were in government. What we have been doing is working with Victoria Police, with those additional tools and resources, in more recent times in terms of some of the challenges around this group of repeat youth offenders. We understood that we needed to take further action to respond to those community safety challenges, and the way we responded to them was of course by bringing to this place a comprehensive youth justice reform program that was informed by Victoria Police, informed by our discussions with the courts and informed by our discussions with the youth justice sector. Central to that package of reforms of course, again after having listened carefully to Victoria Police, was the need to strengthen bail changes in this state, which we did. For the record, I note –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for South-West Coast is warned.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question, and I would ask you to bring her back to the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was referring to the youth crime crisis, to youth offenders –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Malvern! The question referred to the Attorney-General and the youth crime crisis. The Premier can come back to the question that was asked.

Jacinta ALLAN: That youth justice reform package that we brought to this place, which was, again, as I said at the outset of my answer, led by the Attorney-General, the Minister for Police and the Minister for Corrections and Minister for Youth Justice, is a really important package of reforms. It is a really important package of reforms that is focused on giving police more tools to divert young people away from crime, but it is also strengthening bail and strengthening action for those serious offenders. That package was opposed by those opposite, who do not take these issues of community safety seriously.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has concluded her answer.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:07): Over the last 10 years youth crime has surged, with a 934 per cent increase in aggravated burglaries, a 905 per cent increase in non-aggravated robbery, a 231 per cent increase in firearms offences, a 242 per cent increase in aggravated robbery and a massive 738 per cent increase in riot and affrays. Has the government’s failure to fill nearly 1000 police vacancies and its weakening of bail laws contributed to the youth crime crisis?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:08): In answering the Leader of the Opposition’s question I am going to correct what he has said in terms of bail. We have put to the Parliament and passed through the Parliament, despite the opposition from the Liberal Party and despite the opposition from those opposite, a package of stronger bail measures, and we did that following –

Members interjecting.

Jacinta ALLAN: Well, I refer the Leader of the Opposition to the comments from the –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual, and the government weakened bail laws earlier this year.

The SPEAKER: It is not for me to determine whether the Premier is being factual.

Jacinta ALLAN: I will take my advice from the Chief Commissioner of Police on these matters, who on 13 August said in regard to those bail changes:

I’m very pleased to say here today we support those amendments … they’re going to be a positive thing for community safety.

Those opposite opposed. This package of community safety reforms was opposed by those opposite, and that is consistent with their record of cutting police.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Rowville is warned.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, I would just like to make one point: the Premier is debating the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier will come back to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: We will take our advice from Victoria Police, not those who cut Victoria Police, when it comes to protecting community safety.