Thursday, 20 June 2024

South-Eastern Metropolitan Region

Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:42): (951) My question is to the Minister for Police. Under this government crime continues to increase in Victoria, with the recent state budget confirming an almost $20 million cut to crime prevention, community-based offender supervision and youth diversion programs. Meanwhile crime has skyrocketed beyond the state average in 2023, but Frankston happens to be not only above the state average but also above the national average, with approximately 15,000 offences recorded, an increase of 17 per cent on the 2022 figure. Yet five police stations and nine in the South-Eastern Metropolitan Region are no longer open for 24 hours. Minister, can you please provide a transparent breakdown, beyond the general data in the budget, of how police funding is being allocated in order to have a more accurate understanding of the problems in my area and how police funding may be contributing to the crime rate in the south-east? Frankston was by far the worst affected by crime last year, with Seaford, Carrum Downs, Langwarrin and other neighbouring areas coming up very high in the statistics.