The Liberals have pledged a $3 million upgrade to Creswick Police Station if they win the upcoming election.
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Ripon MP Louise Staley and Shadow Minister for Police, MP Edward O’Donohue, today committed to rebuilding the old station on Napier Street.
Ms Staley said the station would provide Creswick with improved, modern facilities.
“I know the Creswick community has run petitions, been to crime forums and has been very vocal in saying that they don’t feel safe under Daniel Andrews and it’s not surprising.
“Creswick is experiencing significant population growth, local crime is up 34% under Daniel Andrews and the current Police Station is just not equipped to meet the needs of the growing community,” Ms Staley said.
“The hard-working men and women of Victoria Police deserve a modern, contemporary police station to enable them to perform their important work in keeping the local Creswick community safe.
“The rebuild will provide the police here with the right facilities to police this community effectively into the future.
The money would only go towards upgrading the facilities, not towards upping the police presence in the region to a 24 hour station facility.
Ms Staley said the allocation of police officers from Bacchus Marsh was the decision of police command.
“But it is true that the community here does not feel it is being serviced well with call outs from Bacchus Marsh late at night and they’d rather have a more permanent police presence here.
“A new police station would allow a full roster to be put here if that’s what the commissioner chooses to do,” she said.
“We have seen a reduction in front line police in the Ballarat region in the last 12 months and I think we have to look at saying that the population here is growing and as a government we should be putting more resources into this region. That is something that new facilities and properly resourcing police enables.”
Mr O’Donohue commended police on their work and reiterated Ms Staley’s stance on the issue.
“Our police do a fantastic job and they deserve more contemporary, fit for purpose infrastructure. That’s exactly what a Liberal Nationals Government will deliver,” he said.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Louise Staley for her advocacy... We’ve been through this station and have had many discussions. This issue has also been raised in Parliament. I’m very pleased to be able to make this announcement.
“We’ve heard from the station’s members, we’ve heard from the community about increasing crime so it’s critical that the government provide police with the infrastructure that they need,” he said.
Mr O’Donohue said the types of crime in the region included crimes against other people like assaults, while home invasions, car jackings and drug use were also increasing.