State Government ministers and members of the Victorian Government need to get out of their chauffeured cars and see the effects their lack of control over crime and their inability to take tough decisions on control and repercussions is having.
That’s the belief of Bairnsdale Chamber of Commerce president, Trevor Hancock, who says “these hopeless political leaders are causing a significant rise in crime and civil disobedience not only in Melbourne but also in Bairnsdale”.
“Shopkeepers, residents and visitors in our town are facing daily threats from people with mental health issues and alcohol and drug problems,” he said.
“Last week I visited 14 shops in our central retail area and found all had experienced frightening and threatening behaviour.
“This must stop. It’s time for our State Government to get serious about crime. It’s time to address these growing incidents of unacceptable threats and abuse. My fear is someone will be seriously hurt.
“Don’t expect anything soon from these incompetent Government ministers; the statistics will only get worse.”
The Crime Statistics Agency Victoria recently released the annual report for the year ending September and Mr Hancock says it doesn’t make for good reading.
Continued page 3
From page 1
“Yes, you guessed it, in addition to the nation’s highest debt, worst business conditions, worst health system, worst roads and fastest growing bureaucracy, Victoria, per capita, now has the highest crime rate recorded,” he said.
“There was a 15 per cent increase in criminal incidents in the past 12 months, from 375,460 in 2023 to 431,683 in 2024. The rate per population increased from 5509 per 100,000 to 6195 over the same period.
“These shocking statistics reflect very badly on a government that has allowed a police force to run down with more than 800 vacancies and police stations closing or opening under reduced hours.
“Our police force is pushed into the front line of trying to handle people with mental health issues with little or no support from mental health professionals and the legal system is hobbled by stupid laws made by those who have never tried to run a business and the closest they have come to crime is to watch it on television.”
Mr Hancock said the Burdekin Report, a 1993 report that examined the human rights of people with mental illness in Australia, found that mentally ill people are especially likely to fall foul of laws concerning drunkenness, offensive behaviour, disorderly conduct, loitering or vagrancy.
“Appropriate accommodation or almost total lack of it in Victoria is a major and growing problem which is too hard to handle by this State Government,” he said.
“The fact is that some people need the security and support of accommodation beyond a ‘Group Home’.
“In addition to trouble from people with mental health issues, there is a growing number of malcontents who, frankly, have an arrogance and total disregard for business owners and their fellow Australians, perhaps buoyed by illicit drugs and the knowledge of a ‘revolving door’ legal system.
“Don’t try and make excuses for bad behaviour by those who should know better. There are no excuses for abuse or perpetrating fear among shoppers or citizens in Bairnsdale or anywhere.”
Mr Hancock challenges local Members of Parliament who sit on the government benches to “tell us what the solution is”.
“In the meantime, I urge everyone who faces this scurge to ring ‘000’ and ask for the police,” he said.
