Violent crime continues to rise under Labor

Today’s release of crime statistics for the year ending 30 September 2018 shows that violent crime continues to increase to record levels, says Shadow Minister for Community Safety David Southwick.

Violent crime is getting worse, not better, under Daniel Andrews.

For the year ending September 2018, sexual offence incidents are up 6.7% and stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour incidents are up 6.4%.

Over the same period, for the year ending September 2018 sexual offences against children are up 5.8%, non-family violence common assaults are up 11.9% and drug use and possession offences are up 4.8%.

Most alarmingly over the past year, the largest cohort of offenders committing crimes against the person are offenders aged between 15 and 19 years of age. According to the Crime Statistics Agency, 6,801 offenders were between the ages of 15 to 19 years.

Daniel Andrews is not only failing on crime, he is failing to tackle the causes of crime. To see so many young offenders is a sign that Victoria’s prized social cohesion is in jeopardy.

Before Daniel Andrews starts patting himself on the back over some selective statistics, the fact is the incidence of violent crime continues to increase under his watch.

Recorded offences under the period of the Andrews Labor Government are now up 10.74%.

In December 2014 there were 459,264 recorded offences and in September 2018 there were 508,597 recorded offences – an annual increase of around 50,000 offences.

In other words, under Daniel Andrews there’s now on average around 1,000 extra recorded offences every week.

Under the term of the Andrews Labor Government, common assaults are up 39.9%, aggravated robbery is up 20.9%, aggravated burglary is up 40.4% and rape is up 14.9%.

These numbers show that despite all his rhetoric, Daniel Andrews is not only failing to fix Victoria’s violent crime problem, but it’s getting worse under this Government.

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