Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

When you hit a nerve, interjections are what you get! They could ask about phone towers and why the phone tower program this government announced is now before the Auditor-General, and why, in Victoria, 100 per cent of funding for phone towers went to ALP seats despite my community of Casey being the second-most disaster-prone community in the country. But they walk out and don't want to talk about that.

They could also ask the Treasurer why they cut $50 million from the Safer Communities Fund at the same time the Treasurer committed $40 million to sell the stage 3 tax cuts. We don't have money to keep the community safe but we can find $40 million to sell the stage 3 tax cuts, which have already been implemented. That is the hypocrisy of those opposite. They're happy to preach to us but not to live up to their own standards; we see that time and time again with the Albanese Labor government.

My community knows the Safer Communities Fund was crucial. Tony Smith, my predecessor, did great work in installing CCTV cameras in our community. In 2013 we got cameras in Healesville, Lilydale and Yarra Junction. I've lived in my community my whole life and I've seen the benefit of these cameras. In 2016 there were cameras put in at Belgrave, Monbulk, Mooroolbark, Mount Evelyn, Woori Yallock and Yarra Glen, and in 2019 they were put in at East Warburton, Upwey, Wandin North, Seville, Millgrove, Montrose, Warburton West and Warburton East—and then more again in Wandin and Upwey. They are making a difference in our community.

I've been speaking to local law enforcement, who are working with me to get some of these cameras upgraded to make sure our community is safe. There are businesses and chambers of commerce that are working with me that have had break-ins and issues happen in their community, in their stores. There is violence that happens on the streets of some of these towns, and they need CCTV to keep them safe. It gives the police lots of valuable assets. The most important one is deterrence. If criminals know there are cameras in streets and in communities, they are less likely to commit a crime. That means people are safer and that families and loved ones are safer. As the police said to me, it means many young women are safer to walk the streets of our community. But it's not just deterrence, which is crucial; it allows the police to gather evidence to prosecute those who have committed crimes.

I recently spoke with our local police officers, and they shared stories of how these cameras in our community have allowed them to catch criminals—and not just criminals locally. Many of the cameras are catching cars that are coming from other areas into our community. Major crimes have been foiled. Serious criminals have been arrested because of these cameras. The police want them, the community want them and I'm going to continue to work with the community to make sure that we have the most up-to-date technology.

But the Albanese Labor government is telling my community and many communities across our country that these cameras don't matter, that keeping community safe doesn't matter and that having early intervention, with high-risk youth programs, does not matter. They're showing that through their actions. They're showing that by cutting $50 million out of this fund while at the same time putting $40 million into selling the stage 3 tax cuts. Ultimately, governments and budgets are about choices. The choices a government make are all about what they're going to do. They're more focused on politics and on spin than on keeping people safe. I urge this government to reinstate the $50 million and put more into this to keep our community safe. (Time expired)

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