Media Release

DESPITE Ian Pirie's loyalty to the Labor Party (Maroondah Leader, January 12), even he would admit that many Victorians are scared to use public transport at night because they are worried about their safety.

The Coalition's plan to put two Victoria Police protective services officers on every train station from 6pm to last train seven days a week will turn them from places of fear into places of safety.

These officers are fully trained members of Victoria Police and are drawn from a division of Victoria Police that now protects areas such as Parliament House and the courts.

The Coalition's plan would therefore not reduce the ranks of Victoria Police.

Under Labor, Victoria spends the least on policing of any state per capita and violent crime has risen by 40 per cent while frontline police patrol hours have fallen, so it is clear that more needs to be done to protect Victorians, including those travelling by public transport.

David Hodgett, Member for Kilsyth.