Latest news with #AnthonyCarbines
Herald Sun
an hour ago
- Politics
- Herald Sun
Resolution of police pay dispute: Victoria to recoup lost traffic fine revenue
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News. The Victorian government lost at least $90m in revenue from speed cameras in just three months during the peak of the bitter pay war with police. New figures have revealed how damaging the rolling industrial action by the state's police union was as officers warned motorists of where cameras were and refused to process traffic fines when new pay deal negotiations turned sour. From September police refused to process fines unless there was evidence of serious reckless behaviour. New data covering the peak of police industrial action, between October and December last year, shows 219,000 fewer fines were issued over the period when compared to the previous year. That equated to a $90m drop in fine revenue. The hit to state coffers was on top of $23m in lost fine revenue from the July to September when 75,000 fewer fines were issued. However, with the pay deal now done and dusted Victoria Police will begin chasing down infringements where there was serious reckless behaviour. This includes, for example, speeding 20km/h over the limit, and some of the lost revenue will be recouped. Minister for Police Anthony Carbines told the Herald Sun that 'infringements during protected industrial action are being pursued'. 'Drivers who were engaging in serious reckless behaviour were still held to account by Victoria Police as part of their ongoing road policing,' he said. 'There is no excuse for bad behaviour on our roads – a moment doing the wrong thing can have devastating consequences.' Police manage the issuing of penalty infringement notices while the Department of Justice and Community Safety manages the road safety camera network, but as part of the industrial action they refused to process tickets unless there was serious reckless behaviour. The industrial action resulted in a vote of no-confidence in former Chief Commissioner Shane Patton, which was then followed by his resignation earlier this year. The Police Association of Victoria Police have been contacted for comment.
Herald Sun
a day ago
- Health
- Herald Sun
How Victoria's tobacco licensing scheme will work
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News. The Victorian tobacco licensing scheme will have just 14 officers to patrol the entire state of Victoria, which is the equivalent size of Great Britain. Jacinta Allan's government will on Wednesday release new details about the state's licensing scheme, declaring it will deliver 'boots on the ground' enforcement from February 2026. The 14 officers to be rolled out in Victoria is the same number doing the job in Tasmania. Inspectors also won't be able to close down a shop caught selling illicit tobacco. Under the new model tobacco businesses will need a license to sell cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products. The initial fee for a 17-month licence will be $1,176 — to save businesses applying twice in the same year — and then $830 per year there after, which has been welcomed by industry groups. A media release, seen by the Herald Sun, states Victoria Police's 'search powers will be beefed up to make it easier and quicker to raid,' but gives no context as to what this means. Under the licensing scheme, any person found to be selling illicit tobacco could face fines of up to $355,000 or up to 15 years in prison. Businesses could face fines up to $1.7m. Victoria Police has arrested more than 130 offenders and seized more than $37m in cash, vapes and illegal tobacco products. 'Backed by more than $46 million in the Victorian Budget 2025-26 – 14 licensing inspectors from the new regulator Tobacco Licensing Victoria will hit the streets to hold illegal operators to account,' Police Minister Anthony Carbines said in the press release. 'This will back the work of Victoria Police who are coming after crime lords. If you are doing the wrong thing and dealing in illegal tobacco, you will get caught and you will face the toughest penalties in Australia.' Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Minister Enver Erdogan, added: 'Our scheme has the toughest penalties in the country – to disrupt organised crime and support Victoria Police with intelligence gathering.' State Labor governments slam feds over 'intolerable' tobacco tax
Daily Telegraph
29-05-2025
- General
- Daily Telegraph
Terrie Benfield is new Victorian Racing Integrity Commissioner
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Racing Minister Anthony Carbines has appointed greyhound industry executive Terrie Benfield as the next Victorian Racing Integrity Commissioner. The five-year appointment, starting this week, ends a six-month recruitment following the resignation of predecessor Sean Carroll, who was headhunted to spearhead racing integrity in Tasmania. Benfield, a long-time public servant originally from a legal background, has held multiple positions at Greyhound Racing Victoria the past decade, including Executive General Manager Corporate and General Counsel. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The independent Office of the Racing Integrity Commissioner monitors integrity issues across thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing in Victoria. It also oversees the integrity systems and processes of Racing Victoria, Harness Racing Victoria and Greyhound Racing Victoria. 'Terrie Benfield is highly respected within the Victorian racing industry, and she will bring a wealth of regulatory experience to the role,' Carbines said. Originally published as Terrie Benfield appointed Victorian Racing Integrity Commissioner
News.com.au
28-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
Terrie Benfield appointed Victorian Racing Integrity Commissioner
Racing Minister Anthony Carbines has appointed greyhound industry executive Terrie Benfield as the next Victorian Racing Integrity Commissioner. The five-year appointment, starting this week, ends a six-month recruitment following the resignation of predecessor Sean Carroll, who was headhunted to spearhead racing integrity in Tasmania. Benfield, a long-time public servant originally from a legal background, has held multiple positions at Greyhound Racing Victoria the past decade, including Executive General Manager Corporate and General Counsel. The independent Office of the Racing Integrity Commissioner monitors integrity issues across thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing in Victoria. It also oversees the integrity systems and processes of Racing Victoria, Harness Racing Victoria and Greyhound Racing Victoria. 'Terrie Benfield is highly respected within the Victorian racing industry, and she will bring a wealth of regulatory experience to the role,' Carbines said.
The Guardian
20-03-2025
- The Guardian
Cost of living and family violence help push Victoria crime rate to highest level in almost a decade
Crime across Victoria is now at its highest level in almost a decade with cost-of-living pressures, family violence and a small group of young repeat offenders singled out as contributing factors, placing further pressure on the embattled Allan government. As Labor's controversial 'tough' bail laws were debated in parliament on Thursday, the Crime Statistics Agency released data showing 605,640 criminal offences were recorded in Victoria in 2014 – a 15.7% increase from the previous year. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email When adjusted for population growth, the crime rate for every 100,000 people was 8,691.6, marking a 13.2% rise from 2023. Despite this, the rate remains lower than it was in 2016. However, crimes committed by children aged 10 to 17 rose in 2024 to their highest levels since electronic records began in 1993. There were 7,414 children arrested 24,550 times in 2024 – although Victoria police said a small group of about 330 'hardened young offenders' was behind most of the offending. Police said the number of unique offenders was down by 3% compared to 2023 but repeat offender incidents increased by 4.9%. 'In simple terms, there are less children committing crime but those who continue to offend are doing so more frequently,' police said. Speaking outside parliament on Thursday, the police minister, Anthony Carbines, said there were 20 young offenders responsible for committing more than 300 aggravated burglaries involving vehicle theft. 'Our unique offender rate is flat, but the offence rate continues to go up because of the repeat offenders,' Carbines said. Theft from motor vehicles – at 75,731 offences, an increase of 18,929 since 2023 – is the most common, and fastest-growing, crime in Victoria. More than a third of these offences were related to number plate theft (27,466). Victoria police deputy commissioner for regional operations, Bob Hill, described the rising rate of youth crime as 'completely unacceptable' but was confident the government's proposed bail laws would reduce offending. The Labor government introduced changes to the Bail Act – criticised by legal human rights and First Nations groups – to parliament this week amid debate over what some conservative media and commentators have labelled a 'youth crime crisis'. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The parliament is expected to sit late on Thursday to pass the so-called 'Tough Bail Bill', which would force courts to treat children accused of serious crimes like adults when deciding whether to remand them or release them into the community. The Coalition opposition, which supports the bill, will move several amendments, including to remove the word 'tough' from the title as they want it to go further. Opposition leader, Brad Battin, denied the amendment was 'petty'. He said the latest data was 'horrific' and proved 'crime is out of control across the whole state'. 'They should have acted on this a long time ago,' Battin said. Meanwhile, the Greens will oppose the bill, describing it as 'draconian', 'rushed' and 'panicked'. 'The last time we had laws like this in Victoria, we saw a doubling of First Nations women in our prisons for non-violent crimes, we saw more kids in our prisons … and we saw deaths in custody,' leader Ellen Sandell said. Hill said although it has received less attention, crime related to the cost of living and family violence also increased in 2024. 'While youth crime is playing out on our streets and in our newspapers, the scourge of family violence carried out behind closed doors has hit record levels that see police responding to an incident every five minutes,' he said. 'Highly difficult economic times are also having a significant impact on crime, with financial pressures a common cause for family violence, while more people are resorting to stealing from shops to feed and clothe themselves and their family.' The number of family violence incidents reached an all-time high, increasing 11.3% from 94,166 in 2023 to 104,786 in 2024. Retail theft also rose, with 38,750 incidents reported, an increase of 10,512 from 2023. Groceries, clothing and alcohol were most frequently stolen. Carbines acknowledged cost-of-living pressures were taking a toll on Victorians but said it was not a 'leave pass' to break the law. 'There are many in the community who are working hard, working two or three jobs … busting a gut to put food on the table for their families, to pay their mortgages but they're not breaking the law,' he said.
