Crime battle not over: MP

BELLARINE state Labor MP Lisa Neville said she had more work to do to keep Victoria’s crime rate continuing downwards.

Speaking with the Geelong Advertiser the Police Minister said she was not concerned by the State Opposition’s push to put law and order at the front of its 2018 election campaign.

Ms Neville, pictured, said she knew the role of police minister would be a challenge when she took it on, but would not be influenced to change by the upcoming election.

“No doubt, law and order is a critical issue, and I think I’m the right person to continue to work with police and make our community safer,” Ms Neville said. “I don’t feel under pressure from the Opposition at all, I feel under pressure to make sure that I continue to bring down the crime rate for our community.”

Ms Neville rubbished suggestions Victorians felt less safe than residents of any other state, stemming from a January independent Productivity Commission report.

“The perception of crime figures were the 2016-17 year, but the actual crimes were from 2015-16 — so they weren’t reflective of the current crime stats — which had crime coming down across the state by 6 per cent, she said.

Ms Neville said she now wanted to see the state’s crime rate continue on a downwards trend.

“Is it over? Absolutely not, but it’s heading in the direction I want it to.”

The minister also weighed in on last week’s announcement that Armstrong Creek policeman Stuart Grimley would be running for election to the Victorian Upper House as part of the Derryn Hinch Justice Party.

Ms Neville said “anyone’s entitled to run” for election, but delivered a veiled warning for the policeman not to use his campaigning to attack the police force.

“It would be unfortunate if a police officer was to undermine police,” she said. “They do an incredible job — they put their lives on the line.

“I would hope anyone running as a police officer would be telling a great story about the work police are doing.”