Opinion: New Victorian police chief Mike Bush has more than fighting crime to worry about

The success or failure of Victoria’s new Chief Commissioner Mike Bush will hinge not just on operational decisions and beating back crime but also on how he manages the Allan government and police union.

Fighting crime might be the main game, but a harder task for Chief Commissioner Mike Bush will be repairing relationships and navigating political minefields.

His success or failure will hinge not just on operational decisions but also how deftly he can manage both the Allan government and the Police Association.

Bush knows crime.

But as an out of towner he can have no true understanding of how badly relations between Victoria Police, the Allan government and the police union have deteriorated.

For too long Victoria Police has been stuck between independence and influence.

New Victorian Police Commissioner Mike Bush with Premier Jacinta Allan. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Former top cop Shane Patton was rolled out by the government relentlessly to enforce Covid rules he didn’t agree with.

Neither did many of his members.

Patton also rallied against loosened bail laws and an increase in the age of criminal responsibility.

He lost that fight too.

Much of Patton’s wheeling and dealing with the government was done behind closed doors.

He was loathed to criticise them publicly but that made it appear too often as though he was working in lock-step with them.

Bush must redefine the boundaries and not allow himself to become a de facto arm of the Allan government.

He must be, and must be seen to be, independent.

It will be a fine balancing act of being firm yet co-operative to secure resources, legislative backing and policy alignment.

Mike Bush speaks to members at the Victorian Police Academy chapel. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

But he must be clear from day one: he is not here to be managed, he is here to lead.

It is a message he might want to send to the police union, too.

If not for the union, and its damning vote of no confidence in him, Patton would still be in the top job.

But a breakdown in trust with members led to swift consequences.

Bush cannot ignore the importance of listening to the rank and file and understanding their pressures.

Add to that waning community confidence in the force and frustration with soaring crime rates, and Bush has his job cut out for him.

And, politically, the Allan government will be hoping they’ve picked the right man.