Latest news with #RickNugent
Herald Sun
20-05-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
Trust in Victoria Police plunges to record low amid crime crisis
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Victoria's incoming top cop will face an uphill battle to win over the public as trust in the troubled force plummets to its lowest level on record. Just over half of Victorians say they are satisfied or have confidence in the state's police, budget figures have revealed. It comes as New Zealand's former police chief Mike Bush gears up to take over as Victoria Police's next Chief Commissioner late next month, relieving current Acting Chief Rick Nugent following his shock retirement announcement after just over a month in the role. An estimated 52 per cent of Victorians felt satisfied with policing in the state last year, down from 55 per cent in the 2023-24 financial year. Meanwhile, 55 per cent of Victorians were likely to have confidence in the force, down from almost 62 per cent. Victoria Police's satisfaction target percentage was 80 per cent and 82 per cent for confidence. The dwindling public approval ratings also follow the results of an internal poll that last year showed a 15 per cent drop in those who were 'satisfied with policing services'. On top of mounting public distrust in police, Mr Bush will be tasked with addressing a raft of issues that have plagued Victoria Police in recent years, including spiralling youth offending, knife crime and aggravated burglaries, lacklustre recruitment into the force and the state's deadly tobacco war. Illegal tobacco crackdown It comes as a new $46m tobacco licensing scheme has a plan to inspect 500 smoke shops a year. Also part of the licensing scheme was a plan to review up to 10,000 tobacco licence requests. The targets are the latest bids unveiled to thwart organised crime's major foothold in the booming black market trade, which has exploded in Victoria at a rate not experienced in any other state or territory. Victoria is home to as many illegal tobacco sellers as NSW, Queensland and South Australia combined. Ritchies chief executive Fred Harrison said the crackdown needed to go further. 'We need more than 500 inspections (per year). That's a little over one per day,' he said. 'The critical piece will be the enforcement and what penalties are handed down if found guilty.' Australian Association of Convenience Stores chief executive Theo Foukkare welcomed the inspections, but said the fiery conflict would not stop until federal authorities wound back tobacco tax. Another industry expert told the Herald Sun: 'Every effort to tackle this crisis is welcome but enforcement should have started yesterday'. 'Nearly $20 million has been allocated to the agency this year alone, yet tobacco enforcement won't begin until mid-next year. Even then, the plan is to conduct fewer than two inspections per day.' Youth crime The government allocated $13m to roll out its statewide machete ban prompted by soaring youth crime and knife-related offending. The Herald Sun understands that the bulk of that cash injection, which followed the announcement of the ban in March, would be used to set up drop-off points at police stations and other potential secure locations where Victorians could dispose of the soon to be banned weapon without facing criminal charges. Another portion of the $13m is likely to be spent on ad campaigns to spread the word about the ban and disposal locations. Police Minister Anthony Carbines said: 'We're the first in Australia to ban machetes. This Budget will support Victoria Police to get these dangerous weapons off our streets.' Jesuit Social Services chief executive Julie Edwards said the root causes of youth offending needed to be addressed alongside banning dangerous weapons. 'It's concerning that people are using machetes, but we also need to focus on factors that lead to young people getting into trouble in the first place and be tough on that, the root causes of crime,' she said. She said the $727m injection into expanding the state's prison system was boosting funding 'at the wrong end of the system'. $135m has been allocated to providing at-risk young people and young offenders with rehabilitation and help reintegrating into school and the community. But Shadow Youth Justice Minister David Southwick said several organisations that run youth outreach initiatives felt as though they were in limbo for another year after being left without new funding for additional programs. 'Despite a 16 per cent rise in youth crime, the $1.85 million cut from last year – intended to support 330 at-risk young people – still hasn't been delivered,' he said. Vulnerable youth are left without support, and communities are less safe.'
NZ Herald
05-05-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Former Police Commissioner Mike Bush to take on Victoria Police top cop role
Acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent has been at the helm during the search for a new top cop. It is understood that Bush won't start straight away. Nugent's tenure is reportedly due to expire later this year. Bush was commissioner for New Zealand Police from 2014 until 2020. Before that he was the District Commander for Auckland's Counties Manukau District. In the last 13 months of his role with the police Bush was at the forefront of the terror attacks on the Christchurch mosques, the White Island eruption, and the Covid-19 pandemic. In the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours, Bush was promoted to Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the New Zealand Police and the community. After leaving the police, Bush established himself as a private investigator running his own international consulting firm - Bush Consulting International - specialising in leadership consulting, risk management and security.
RNZ News
05-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Former police commissioner Mike Bush set to be named as new Victoria Police chief commissioner
By Victorian state political reporter Richard Willingham , ABC Former New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush speaks at a press conference. Photo: Ana Tovey / RNZ Former New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush is set to lead Victoria Police, the ABC understands. The state government is understood to have made the decision on Monday, with a formal appointment to made on Tuesday morning, senior sources say. Victoria currently has an acting chief commissioner in Rick Nugent, after Shane Patton left the post following a vote of no confidence from police officers earlier this year. His tenure was due to expire this year, and Bush won't begin work immediately. The state government declined to comment when contacted. Bush was commissioner for New Zealand Police from 2014 until 2020. During his tenure, he led and oversaw police responses to major crises, including the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, in which 51 people were killed by an Australian gunman. He was also in the top job at the time of the 2019 Whakaari/White Island volcano eruption in which 22 people - including 14 Australians - were killed. In 2017, he made headlines when he issued a public statement confirming that he had been convicted of drink-driving in 1983, when he was a 23-year-old off-duty detective. In April, Rick Nugent, who took over as Victoria Police acting chief commissioner in February, announced he would not apply for the ongoing position, saying there were "other passions and opportunities" he wished to pursue. "I just don't know that I have it in me to do the five years," he said while speaking to ABC Radio Melbourne. "It just dawned on me, the realisation that this is a demanding job for a long period, I just decided not to [apply]. "Life is short and there are other passions and opportunities that I wish to pursue." Nugent stepped into the position after Shane Patton resigned as police chief on 16 February, just two days after a no-confidence vote from his officers The outgoing chief commissioner said in a statement at the time that "given the current circumstances surrounding my position, I have decided to step away from the role effective immediately". "It is with a heavy heart that I have made this decision, however I think it is the right one to allow fresh leadership in the role," Mr Patton said. His role had become increasingly uncertain following a resounding vote of no-confidence by officers, despite being expected to continue into a second five-year term as the state's police chief. - ABC
ABC News
05-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Former New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush set to be named as new Victoria Police chief commissioner
Former New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush is set to lead Victoria Police, the ABC understands. The state government is understood to have made the decision on Monday, with a formal appointment to made on Tuesday morning, senior sources say. Victoria currently has an acting chief commissioner in Rick Nugent, after Shane Patton left the post following a vote of no confidence from police officers earlier this year. His tenure was due to expire this year, and Mr Bush won't begin work immediately. The state government declined to comment when contacted. Mr Bush was commissioner for New Zealand Police from 2014 until 2020. During his tenure, he led and oversaw police responses to major crises, including the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, in which 51 people were killed by an Australian gunman. He was also in the top job at the time of the 2019 In 2017, he made headlines when he issued a public statement confirming that he had been convicted of drink-driving in 1983, when he was a 23-year-old off-duty detective. Rick Nugent stepped into the role in February, but chose not to apply for the ongoing position. ( AAP: James Ross ) In April, Rick Nugent, who took over as Victoria Police acting chief commissioner in February, announced he "I just don't know that I have it in me to do the five years," he said while speaking to ABC Radio Melbourne. "It just dawned on me, the realisation that this is a demanding job for a long period, I just decided not to [apply]. "Life is short and there are other passions and opportunities that I wish to pursue." Mr Nugent stepped into the position after Shane Patton resigned from the role of chief commissioner following a vote of no confidence. ( AAP: Joe Castro ) The outgoing chief commissioner said in a statement at the time that "given the current circumstances surrounding my position, I have decided to step away from the role effective immediately". "It is with a heavy heart that I have made this decision, however I think it is the right one to allow fresh leadership in the role," Mr Patton said. His role had become increasingly uncertain following a resounding vote of no-confidence by officers, despite being expected to continue into a second five-year term as the state's police chief. Loading
Voice of America
28-01-2025
- Climate
- Voice of America
Fast-moving fires torch national parks in southeast Australia
Firefighters were desperately trying to stop a cluster of fast-moving blazes in southeast Australia on Tuesday, as thousands of acres of national park burned and a farming community was forced to evacuate. Lightning strikes on Monday evening ignited several fires in the Grampians National Park, a forested mountain range about 300 kilometers west of Victoria's state capital Melbourne. A separate fast-moving fire in Little Desert National Park in the west of the state has torn through almost 65,000 hectares in less than 24 hours, emergency services said, scorching an area almost as large as Singapore. That fire had forced the evacuation of rural Dimboola before threat levels were downgraded on Tuesday afternoon. "I'm incredibly thankful that no lives have been lost and we have no reports of injury either," emergency management commissioner Rick Nugent told reporters. Chris Hardman from Forest Fire Management Victoria warned that weather conditions over the next few days are increasing the possibility the fires will spread. "Right now firefighters are planning to do everything in their powers to protect communities," he said. Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Kevin Parkyn said stifling heatwave conditions would settle over parts of Victoria on Saturday, escalating fire risks. "When we look at the next seven to 10 days, the main message is that there will be a hot dome over Victoria. "Once we get into the weekend don't be surprised if we see heatwave conditions unfold across the state, and continue to intensify into next week. "The landscape is dry, and if we continue to see these hot conditions, it will continue to dry the landscape out further." Hotter temperatures are fueling increasingly severe natural disasters across Australia, researchers have found. Scientists have documented a marked increase in extreme fire weather across the country since the 1950s. The unprecedented "Black Summer" bushfires of 2019-2020, for example, killed 33 people and millions of animals, razed vast tracts of forest and blanketed major cities in thick smoke.
