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Police | December 21, 2018

Crime up 25 per cent across Lowan

Following the release of new figures by the Victorian Crime Statistics Agency, The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy MP says crime rates in the Lowan electorate have increased an average of 25 per cent under Daniel Andrews.

Statistics in the Southern Grampians Shire alone showed 1,585 offences were recorded in the year to September 2018 – a staggering increase of 66.32 per cent since Daniel Andrews took office in 2014.

“Prior to the State election the Liberal Nationals committed $3 million to build a new police station in Coleraine and to develop a master plan for a new Hamilton Police Station and Courthouse precinct,” Ms Kealy said.

“Our hardworking police do a fantastic job with the resources at hand, but Labor’s failure to fund local police infrastructure projects and new staff to compensate for the two-up staffing rule means a lesser local police presence,” she said.

The number of offences has also risen sharply in the Yarriambiack, Hindmarsh, Ararat and Horsham Rural City Councils, with rises of 49.3 per cent, 47.37 per cent, 38.02 and 27.41 per cent respectively.

The Northern Grampians Shire saw an increase in offences of 2.88 per cent.

Across the eight municipalities covered by the Lowan electorate crime rates have risen an average of 25 per cent. 

Statewide figures show almost 50,000 additional offences recorded in the year to September 2018 compared with the year before Daniel Andrews took office.

“Daniel Andrews is not only failing on crime, he is failing to tackle the causes of crime,” Ms Kealy said.

“Daniel Andrews has watered down bail laws, weakened sentencing and failed to equip our regional police with adequate resources to protect our streets,” she said.