‘Danger on our streets': Allan government accused of putting Victorians ‘at risk' with massive cuts budgets for courts and police
The Allan government has been accused of putting the Victorian public 'at risk' after it cut funding to Victoria's police and courts in the midst of a crime crisis.
The state government's latest budget, handed down on Tuesday, included a $50 million cut to Victoria Police's 2025-26 budget, a $30 million cut to Victoria's courts, and a $169 million reduction in court-related capital expenditure.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, shadow attorney-general Michael O'Brien said it didn't make any sense to cut funding to police and the courts while Victoria is grappling with a crime crisis.
'When you cut cops and cut courts, you increase danger and you cut community safety. That is exactly what Labor has done in this budget,' Mr O'Brien said.
'By the government cutting Court Services Victoria by $30 million, it means more backlogs in courts. It means more violent offenders getting bail, and it means more danger on our streets for every single Victorian.
'This is a government whose budget says it's focused on what matters most. Well, clearly this government isn't focused on community safety.'
The Allan government has promoted it's budget by claiming it 'invests more than more than $2 billion in additional funding for the criminal justice system, courts and emergency services' – a figure that includes all funding over forward estimates.
But the budget papers show that funding for 'Policing and Community Safety' has been reduced from $4.55 billion spent in 2024-25 to $4.5 billion for 2025-26.
This is despite 1,100 police positions currently being vacant and 43 police stations across the state having closed or reduced their hours since November 2023.
Funding for the Courts to deliver 'fair, timely and efficient dispensing of justice' has been reduced from $864 million to $834 million, while Court Services Victoria's capital expenditure has been cut from $318 million to $149 million – a reduction of 53 per cent.
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