Daniel Andrews refuses to take action to fix the violent crime rate in Victoria, Member for Eastern Victoria Region Melina Bath says.
New figures released by the Victorian Crime Statistics Agency today show crime across the Latrobe City Council region increased to 13,704 offences in the year to September 2017 – an increase of 14.5 per cent.
The region recorded the second-highest incident rates per capita across Victoria, second only to the Melbourne City Council area.
“Our community has been abandoned by the Premier while the crime rate spirals out of control,” Ms Bath said.
“Offenders have been emboldened by the Andrews Labor Government’s watered-down bail laws, weakened sentencing and cuts to frontline police numbers.”
“Many local retailers and shop assistants have expressed to me their concerns around an alarming increase in theft from shops and loutish behaviour.”
In Morwell, drug use and possession rose 31.5 per cent, from 130 offences in the year to September 2016 up to 171 offences in the year to September 2017.
“Daniel Andrews can’t fix the violent crime rate by continuing to give repeat violent offenders four, five or six chances before sending them to jail,” Shadow Minister for Community Safety Edward O’Donohue said.
“Until this Premier starts to put the rights of innocent Victorians before the rights of violent criminals, we will not see any decline in violent crime rates.”
“Only the Liberal National Coalition have a plan for stronger sentencing, tougher parole conditions and a return to the principle that bail is a privilege not a right for violent offenders.”
