Victorians are being punished for Labor’s financial incompetence, with cuts and wasteful spending in the State Budget putting the safety of the public at risk.
Labor has wielded the axe on initiatives designed to protect the safety of the community and produce better outcomes, including:
- $5 million cut from Community Crime Prevention budget – meaning fewer initiatives to tackle ongoing crime in the community.
- $10 million cut from community-based offender supervision management, meaning more people will stay locked up unnecessarily instead of being able to re-integrate themselves into society.
- $10 million cut from youth justice initiatives designed to divert young people away from the justice system while they are in the community and to assist while in custody.
Shadow Minister for Criminal Justice Reform, Brad Battin said: “Victorians are being punished for Labor’s incompetence through reduced community safety.
“Labor’s financial mismanagement means Victorians will pay the price of poorer safety outcomes and more people staying in the justice system for longer,” Mr Battin said.
“We are seeing worse and worse outcomes in the justice system under the Andrews Government – for both the community and for offenders – and cutting important programs will only make things worse.”
