CHESTER WELCOMES FUNDING COMMITMENT TO CRIME STOPPERS UNDER A COALITION GOVERNMENT
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester says the increasing crime rate across the region is undermining community safety and requires more attention across all levels of government.
Mr Chester has welcomed the commitment from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to provide $7.5 million in additional funding to Crime Stoppers if the Coalition wins the next federal election.
"The Crime Statistics Agency's data illustrates a troubling trend that corresponds with rising safety concerns, showing an increase in criminal incidents across all Gippsland local government areas (LGAs) for the year ending September 2024," Mr Chester said.
"Criminal incidents rose by 7.4% in Latrobe, 11.7% in East Gippsland, and 8.1% in the Wellington Shire, with the criminal incident rate for Latrobe the second worst for crime per population across Victoria's 79 LGAs.
"Crime Stoppers is an integral part of the efforts of our communities and our law enforcement agencies to disrupt crime, and a Coalition Government will provide $7.5 million over three years in additional funding, a commitment which will enable Crime Stoppers to expand its operations and protect more Gippslanders from the devastating impact of crime."
In 2023, almost 4,000 arrests and 10,000 charges were laid nationally because of information provided by the community through Crime Stoppers.
Mr Chester said the Coalition's funding commitment to Crime Stoppers will help keep Gippslanders safer.
"Crime Stoppers is one of Australia's most respected crime-fighting organisations. It provides a safe, anonymous and independent way to report crime, empowering communities to help prevent crime in their own backyard," Mr Chester said.
"The Coalition's funding commitment will provide Crime Stoppers with a greater level of financial certainty to help Australia's law enforcement agencies crack down on the illicit drug trade and other violent and non-violent offences.
"This funding will assist the effort of Victoria Police and is an extremely effective way of fighting crime at a local community level."
