Police Budget Cut In Middle Of Crime Crisis Is Madness
In the midst of a record-breaking crime wave, the Allan Labor Government has slashed the Victoria Police budget from $4.55 billion to $4.5 billion for 2025–26 – a decision that defies common sense and puts community safety further at risk.
This cut comes at a time when over 1,100 police positions remain vacant, and 43 police stations across the state have either closed or reduced their hours since November 2023 due to chronic staffing shortages.
To make matters worse, key infrastructure projects – including promised police station upgrades and new facilities in Rochester, Melbourne, Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo, and Shepparton – have been pushed back until at least the fourth quarter of 2027–28, well beyond the next state election.
While Labor has allocated funds for recruitment advertising, no new money has been committed to actually employing additional officers, raising serious questions about whether these recruits will ever hit the streets.
Alarmingly, public confidence in Victoria Police has plummeted to an all-time low of just 55 per cent, as revealed in the 2025–26 State Budget papers – a clear reflection of the growing concern in the community about safety and Labor’s failure to act.
Shadow Minister for Police, David Southwick, said:
“It’s madness that in the middle of a crime crisis, Labor would cut the police budget and fail to provide the frontline resources needed to keep Victorians safe.”
“We still have police officers who are exhausted, unsupported, and leaving the job in droves. With more officers walking away than signing up, and with no real investment to fix it, Victorians are right to ask whether we’ll ever see these promised recruits on the beat.”
“The Allan Labor Government must explain why it continues to underfund Victoria Police in the face of a growing crime crisis.”
“Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage crime – and Victorians are paying the price.”
https://vic.liberal.org.au/article/2025-05-21-southwick-police-budget-cut-in-the-middle-of-a-crime-crisis-is-madness