Victorians deserve to feel safe

Whether it be in their homes, at the shops, and on the streets of our beautiful city, we all deserve to feel safe. 

Yet under the Allan Labor Government, too many families are living in fear. Every day we witness shocking acts of violence because of weak bail laws and a justice system that is failing to protect the community.

That is why the Liberals and Nationals have committed to a $100 million plan to restore community safety.

This is a plan that is tough on crime and serious about prevention.

It is built on our Break Bail, Face Jail policy, ensuring offenders face consequences the very first time they break the law.

At the centre of this plan is Jack’s Law. This reform gives police and PSOs the power to use handheld metal-detecting wands in public places such as train stations, shopping centres and knife crime hotspots.

The aim is clear: get weapons off our streets before they destroy lives.

The tragic recent murder of two boys with machetes in Melbourne’s west shows why this change cannot wait and why Labor’s empty rhetoric and empty bins just isn’t enough.

Jack’s Law has been successful in Queensland where it has helped drive down knife crime. This law should already be on the books in Victoria.

But fixing crime isn’t just about deterrence and punishment. It is also about prevention and giving young people better choices. That is why the Liberals and Nationals will establish Restart, a Victorian-first residential responsibility and discipline program, alongside Youthstart, a coordinated program of community-based interventions.

These initiatives focus on rehabilitation, discipline, education, and counselling, tools that can break the cycle of youth offending.

These initiatives give at-risk youth the chance to make better choices, while ensuring those who refuse to change face the consequences of their actions. This is a balanced approach that strengthens deterrence while addressing the causes of crime.

Labor simply cannot be trusted to deliver the reforms our community needs.

Labor weakened our bail system. Labor scrapped move-on powers. Labor refused to introduce Jack’s Law and this government continues to underfund frontline police.

As a result, ordinary Victorians feel unsafe in their homes, on public transport and in their communities.

Victoria needs a government that respects victims, upholds the rule of law and insists on personal responsibility. Only the Liberals and Nationals have a plan to deliver that.

It is time for real action to restore community safety in Victoria. •

Evan Mulholland MP is the Liberal Member for Northern Metropolitan Region.