Record boost for community safety

A record $1.75 billion Victoria Police budget and a $657 million community protection package in today’s State Budget will ensure Victoria remains the safest State to live, work and raise a family.

Police Minister Bob Cameron said Victoria Police’s $1.75 billion record budget would ensure Victoria would have more police on the streets than ever before.

“The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to ensure our communities are the safest in Australia,” Mr Cameron said.

“This record $1.75 billion Victoria Police budget continues the delivery of 350 additional police, which builds on the 1400 extra police our Government has added to police ranks since 1999.

“It also reinforces Victoria Police command’s strategy for a more flexible workforce, which will free up more officers for peak times to tackle emerging crime trends.”

Mr Cameron said the $657 million community protection and crime-fighting package – including new high-tech major crime and counter-terrorism technology and increased forensic capability – would ensure Victoria remains at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and organised crime.

The four-year package includes $4.8 million for specialist equipment including:

• two new Bomb Response Robots and Protective Bomb Suits used by specialist squads to quickly and effectively defuse and neutralise explosive devices;
• new state-of-the-art covert listening devices to improve intelligence gathering during undercover operations; and
• four analysis units for the Forensic Science Department to assist with gathering drug intelligence and analyse clandestine drug labs.

“Police will receive a Teodor Bomb Response Robot which has the ability to neutralise bombs and chemical, biological or radiological devices while bomb technicians are at a safe distance,” Mr Cameron said.

“A smaller robot, the Telemax will further enhance Victoria Police’s ability for remote bomb disabling detonation in planes, trains, trams, buses and other areas of limited access.”

Mr Cameron said $4.7 million had been allocated to Corrections Victoria to manage high-profile, high-security prisoners, following prominent court cases.

He said continued funding of $19.4 million would go towards supporting 29 biology experts currently working at Victoria Police’s Forensic Science Department and provide new forensic equipment.

Police stations across Victoria will benefit from a $10 million police station priority upgrade program for security systems, CCTV and a range of other projects. This builds on the more than 140 police stations rebuilt by the Victorian Government since coming to office in 1999.

Victoria’s port security, which has been significantly boosted to deal with the threat of terrorism, will receive $19.3 million to continue enhanced patrols of the ports of Melbourne, Geelong, Portland, Hastings and Welshpool.

Mr Cameron said a $591.1 million investment will deliver

• a major new 350-bed upgrade at the existing Ararat Prison site; and
• an extra 244 prison beds across the system.

“Victoria’s prison numbers have increased due to 1400 more police on the streets, longer sentences and tough new laws introduced by the Brumby Labor Government to protect the community against serious sex offenders,” Mr Cameron said.

He said regional Victoria would benefit from more than 100 new jobs with a major upgrade at Ararat Prison.

“The upgrade will see an additional 350 beds at the existing Ararat prison site and provides for a considerable boost to the local economy,” Mr Cameron said.

The 2008-09 State Budget allocates $7.7 million to the Better Pathways program to reduce imprisonment rates for women.