Today’s youth justice announcement from the Allan Labor Government reveals it has no plan to keep Victorians safe and address thealarming rise in violent youth crime.
After denying for years that a problem exists, even weakening bail laws and cutting early intervention and youth engagement programs, the government has finally acknowledged the need to act.
However, their response fails to address the fundamental causes of Victoria’s youth crime crisis and is only now implementing a key recommendation of the Armytage-Ogloff report into youth justice from 2017 – seven years ago.
While the Liberals and ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾s will carefully consider the Allan Labor Government’s legislation, with Labor’s record debt set to reach a record $187.8 billion by 2027-28, it does not appear to have a plan on how to fund policing, prevention programs or reduce crime.
Shadow Attorney-General, Michael O’Brien said: “Today’s announcement is a plan to redefine crime and pretend it isn’t happening. Labor’s answer is simply to remove criminal responsibility from particular age groups and replace it with nothing.
“Just as Labor weakened bail laws in March, cut nearly $20 million from the courts in this year’s budget, and cut money from diversion and prevention programs, it has no real answer to the youth crime crisis in Victoria.”
Shadow Minister for Police and Youth Justice, Brad Battin, said: “Crime statistics will be released this Thursday, and sadly we expect to see aggravated burglaries and violent crimes continue to rise. This is due to almost 1000 vacancies on police rosters and resources for youth engagement cut.
“Labor can’t manage the youth justice system and Victorians are paying the price.”
