News

Police | June 15, 2017

Crime up 45 per cent in Southern Grampians

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy MP is accusing Daniel Andrews of refusing to take action to fix the violent crime rate in Victoria.

New figures released by the Victorian Crime Statistics Agency today show the number of offences recorded by Victorian police in the year to 31 March 2017 have risen 4 per cent, with the most significant upward trends being assault and related offences (up 7.9 per cent), robbery (up 19.6 per cent) and dangerous and negligent acts endangering people (up 20.2 per cent).

In the Southern Grampians LGA crime rates are even worse, having risen 44.62 per cent since December 2014, up from 957 to 1,384 total offences.

“Our community has been abandoned by the Premier for Melbourne while the crime rate spirals out of control,” Ms Kealy said.

“Offenders have been emboldened by the Andrews Labor Government’s watered-down bail laws, weakened sentencing and no increase in frontline police numbers.

“Our local police are doing their best, however they are hampered by Daniel Andrew’s soft approach to crime”, she said.

In Hamilton, there was a 20.3 per cent increase in burglary/break and enter offences between March 2016 and March 2017. In the same timeframe, drug offences increased 71.2 per cent from 73 to 125 offences and breaches of orders escalated an astounding 139.8% from 108 to 259 offences.

“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 and Nationals 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,” he said.