Wednesday, 11 September 2024

Youth crime

Brad BATTIN (Berwick) (14:15): My question is to the Minister for Police. 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 it is irresponsible to suggest there is a youth crime crisis. Will the minister admit the Attorney-General is wrong?

Anthony CARBINES (Ivanhoe – Minister for Police, Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Racing) (14:16): Can I just firstly say that a range of the operations that Victoria Police were able to conduct, including Operation Trinity, which has seen thousands of arrests being made across the south-eastern suburbs, are in part because of the $4.5 million investment Victoria Police have had from our government and the 3600 additional police that have been funded by our government. We have seen thousands of arrests made, and residential burglaries are down.

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, I ask that you draw the minister back to the question about the Attorney-General’s remarks.

The SPEAKER: The minister had just started his response to the question. The minister will come back to the question that was asked.

Members interjecting.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the unpleasant affray across the chamber is very unparliamentary.

The SPEAKER: I believe there is unparliamentary behaviour on both sides of the house today, Manager of Opposition Business.

Anthony CARBINES: I again inform the house that in Victoria our offence rate remains below prepandemic levels. We can also take the opportunity to thank Victoria Police today.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is required to respond to the actual question, not discuss the issue generally, and the minister – without repeating the question – has not addressed the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: I cannot direct the minister how to answer the question or compel him to answer the question. However, I do ask the minister to come back to the question that was asked.

Anthony CARBINES: This side of the house would also like to take the opportunity to thank the Attorney-General for her leadership in relation to our Youth Justice Bill that has become law in this place and also to take the opportunity, with the reference that has been made to Victoria Police by those opposite today, to thank Victoria Police members for the work that they are doing each and every day but particularly today – those police members who have come from around the state to keep the community safe.

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, in relation to relevance, if the minister wants to respect Victoria Police, then he can answer the question around our youth crime crisis here in Victoria.

The SPEAKER: A point of order is not an opportunity to make a statement to the house. The minister to come back to answering the question.

Anthony CARBINES: You can only provide Victoria Police with the tools to do the job, to make arrests and keep offence rates down, by investing in Victoria Police – a $4.5 billion investment, with 3600 additional police in our state.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I cannot direct the minister how to answer the question.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, twice you have asked the minister to come back to the question, and though you are not able to require him to answer in any particular way, you can sit him down if he refuses to do so.

The SPEAKER: Thank you for the advice, Manager of Opposition Business. I cannot compel the minister how to answer the question. The minister to come back to the question that was asked.

Anthony CARBINES: Those opposite can choose to cut the data whichever way they like, but when it comes down to it, the offence rate here in Victoria is below prepandemic levels thanks to our investment in Victoria Police.

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

Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Speaker, there is no point of order. The minister was asked about data. He is going directly to the data, if the opposition could only settle down and listen to the answer. They have asked the question. I ask that you ask them to listen to the answer and rule the point of order out of order.

Peter Walsh: Further to the point of order, supporting the Manager of Opposition Business, the Leader of the House is wrong. The question had nothing to do with data. The question had to do with whether the minister supported the comments from the Attorney-General that talking about youth crime was irresponsible, and I ask you to bring him back to answering that question.

The SPEAKER: I ask the minister to not debate the question and to be relevant to the question, and I ask the minister to come back to the question.

Anthony CARBINES: I thank the Attorney-General for her leadership. I thank everyone on this side of the house who has supported our Youth Justice Bill and made tougher bail laws in this state while those opposite ignored them. We will continue to invest in Victoria Police, and we thank them particularly for the work that they are doing today.

Brad BATTIN (Berwick) (14:21): In the 12 months ending March 2024 crimes committed by youth offenders have surged, including 1230 aggravated burglaries, over 4500 assaults, 1763 ‍aggravated robberies, over 2000 reports of criminal damage, 1881 cars stolen, over 2300 thefts from stores and nearly 1000 weapons offences. Why do innocent Victorians have to pay the price for Labor’s mismanagement of our justice system?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Berwick, that is out of order.

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, interjections are obviously inappropriate in the Parliament, but if you are talking about closing stations, the Labor Party have closed 43 stations across Victoria. You goose! Forty-three stations are shut.

The SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order, member for Berwick.

Brad Battin interjected.

The SPEAKER: No, it was not a point of order. You are warned.

Anthony CARBINES (Ivanhoe – Minister for Police, Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Racing) (14:23): The Crime Statistics Agency is independent, and I will take its statistics over those from the opposition any day of the week.

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, in relation to relevance, the crime statistics we are quoting are directly from the Crime Statistics Agency here in Victoria.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Berwick! Member for Polwarth!

Anthony CARBINES: Our government will continue to provide Victoria Police with every resource it needs to keep the peace and to keep crime down in this state. We will continue to invest our $4.5 billion in Victoria Police, and we will continue to fund 3600 additional police positions here in Victoria. And I know that for those opposite the only facts that remains are that they cut the budget by $100 million and they did not fund one additional police officer.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Berwick, this is your second warning.

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

The SPEAKER: The minister has concluded his answer.