Jeff Kennett: Vic Labor simply does not care about spiralling crime, and wants to further divide
Dan Andrews and Jacinta Allan have terribly and deliberately destroyed Victoria’s opportunities and security — with high crime, the SRL sucking resources dry and a plan for a Treaty that will further divide the state.
There is so much to be proud about Victoria.
From country to the sea.
From our major events to our medical research.
From our rich heritage to our newest settlers.
So why is this Andrews/Allan government so terribly deliberately destroying our opportunities and security?
Victoria cannot afford to keep borrowing money to build the first section of the Suburban Rail Loop when we don’t have the money to fund its further construction.
This project is sucking dry the resources of government from providing the quality services government should be providing such as health, education and roads.
Sadly that deterioration will only get worse.
The federal government has committed $2bn to the SRL and said it will provide no more. The state is now $11bn short of the finance they say they require to finish the project.
That $11bn and any overruns will only come from more borrowings, or new or higher taxes and charges already applied to Victorians and businesses located here.
Any contractor that enters into new contracts for the SRL, does so at their peril. They would be entering into contracts knowing the state does not have the money to pay. New contracts signed cannot be met.
The construction of the SRL should be paused until the state budget is returned to sustainability.
Victorians are experiencing an escalating crime wave because our elected government simply does not care.
What’s the point living in such a wonderful state, even if it has the best of services, which of course Victoria does not, if the level of crime in the state has everyone feeling insecure, and afraid?
The next government must introduce the zero-tolerance program I have been advocating for some time.
This will ensure:
IF anyone commits a crime there will be a very quick response, including act at graffiti on property.
LAWS will be introduced that will ensure magistrates and the judicial system does not have the current discretions, and offenders will be held until they appear before the court.
NO bail will be allowed once the facts are established and no excuse, will be accepted.
WHERE a person who commits a crime, and is not an Australian citizen, the government will work with the federal government to have that person’s visa or circumstances revoked and returned to their country of origin.
ALL those found guilty of committing a crime will have their right to any federal or state financial support revoked for a period of time to be determined, but not less than 10 years longer than the sentence they receive for committing the crime.
THE government will give its police the resources to arrest those committing crimes knowing those persons will not be bailed.
The objective of these measures is to change the culture that exists among some of our young who know they can commit a crime without any consequence.
This is in part because the state is fundamentally broke and does not have the resources or the will to protect its citizens.
The rights of the majority to live in a safe community must be the first priority of any government. It is time the government got serious!
Finally, the state government is set to introduce into parliament legislation to establish a Treaty with our Indigenous community.
As I write, I do not know the details of the proposed Treaty, but it has been suggested The First Peoples’ Assembly might be charged with overseeing and enforcing the Treaty, will be given the powers to question ministers and hold them to account.
No other Victorian or group have that authority. Ministers are answerable to the parliament and to the public via elections.
That any one group of Victorians is going be given powers no other Victorian has is unacceptable.
That that group or their assembly is going to be allowed to work within the parliament is unacceptable.
Closing The Gap, which in itself is a bad phrase, can only be achieved by working on areas of disadvantage that exist in our community — Indigenous and non-Indigenous.
The state government is deliberately setting up a process to further divide our community.
It’s unacceptable and dangerous.
We can respect our past, but we must all live for the day and the future.
To quote the classic song by The Seekers:
“We are one, but we are many,
I am, you are, we are Australian.”
It is time the state government started working in the interests of all Victorians.
Jeff Kennett is a former Premier of Victoria
Read related topics:Daniel Andrews
