Crime Spirals Out of Control Under Premier Allan

The Nationals Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, has condemned the Allan Labor Government for failing to keep regional Victorians safe following alarming new crime statistics.

New data from the Crime Statistics Agency paints a grim picture, showing crime overall in Victoria has jumped by 19 per cent since Jacinta Allan became Premier. Sadly, this alarming trend extends to regional Victoria, including Wangaratta.

Wangaratta alone has seen a 1.7% increase in crime for the year ending 2024, with breaches of family violence orders, retail theft, and drug possession among the biggest rises.

Amid a cost-of-living crisis, retail theft has surged by 37 per cent statewide, placing further strain on struggling local businesses and communities.

Mr McCurdy condemned Jacinta Allan for her failure to tackle crime, warning that regional Victorians are being left exposed.

“Victoria is in the grip of a crime crisis, and Jacinta Allan has no answers,” Mr McCurdy said.

“Most concerning is the alarming rise in youth crime, which has reached its highest level since electronic records began in 1993.

“Offences committed by individuals aged 17 and under have increased by 16 per cent since the Premier took office, while youth offending has risen by 33 per cent since 2015 — another indictment of Labor’s decade-long failure on law and order.

“Our local police officers are doing their best under increasingly difficult circumstances, yet they are being let down by Labor's soft-on-crime policies,” Mr McCurdy said.

“The Allan Labor Government’s weakening of bail laws has made it easier for repeat offenders to terrorise our communities.”

The Nationals stand ready to implement policies that put victims first, toughen bail laws, and restore law and order.

“Labor can't manage crime, and regional Victorians are paying the price.”