Media Release

A Baillieu Coalition Government will make Victoria’s streets safe again by funding 1600 more police, introducing tougher sentencing and adopting a zero tolerance approach to fight violent crime, Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition Leader Ted Baillieu said today.
Launching the Coalition’s Making our Streets Safe campaign at the Victorian Liberal Party State Council in Melbourne today, Mr Baillieu said a Coalition Government will not tolerate crime, violence or anti-social behaviour.
The first phase of the campaign will include an advertisement screened on all commercial television networks this weekend as well as YouTube.
“Victorians have been telling me for years that John Brumby has done too little to protect them from violent crime,” Mr Baillieu said.
“Victorian families have a right to feel safe and secure in their community but under John Brumby, assaults and anti-social behaviour have reached record levels on our streets, with violent crime rising by 40 per cent and assaults increasing by 70 per cent,” Mr Baillieu said.
“The Brumby Government’s soft-on-crime approach has failed to make our streets safe.
“Almost every region in Victoria is suffering from a lack of frontline police under John Brumby, with Victorians experiencing record levels of crime and violence.
“A Baillieu Government will make an unprecedented investment in policing which will dramatically increase frontline police numbers and will be the largest single increase in frontline police over one term of government in the history of Victoria.
“It is a basic responsibility of government to protect its citizens, but John Brumby has failed this test.
“Law and order has not been a priority of the Brumby Government, but it will be a priority of a Baillieu Government because Victorians have a right to expect to be protected,” Mr Baillieu said.
Note: Making our Streets Safe ad at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3e09oGyhTE
Media: Simon Troeth 0439 300 335
www.tedbaillieu.com.au