Shannon Deery: There’s no area of policy Brad Battin knows better than crime, and he can put a credible case on the hot-button issue

Not only does Victoria have a dithering, go-slow government under Jacinta Allan’s leadership, but 10 weeks into Brad Battin’s new opposition, few can identify how he’s changed anything.

Even close political observers struggle to identify how Brad Battin’s new team differs in any substantial way from that of predecessor John Pesutto. Picture: Diego Fedele

Things move at a glacial pace in Spring Street – no longer “the place to be”, we’re now “the state to wait”.

Jacinta Allan last week announced a suite of policies to tackle the state’s crime crisis, including a ban on machetes and a tightening of the bail laws.

The government expects the new laws to pass the parliament this week, days after the Bills are introduced.

By parliamentary process standards, that is fast.

But it will be nine months before the machete ban takes full effect, and there is expected to be a significant lead time on the bail changes, too.

Jacinta Allan has announced a suite of policies to tackle the state’s crime crisis. Picture: Jason Edwards

Laws passed last year to clean up underworld crime that has infiltrated Victoria’s Big Build infrastructure pipeline will not come into effect until August.

Slowly, slowly catchy monkey, perhaps, but these issues are not new.

Critics of the Premier from outside but also within her party say she is too often too slow to get up to speed with issues of concern.

For several years official statistics have been showing a concerning uptick in youth crime.

Almost a year ago – last July – the government held an emergency meeting to address this.

Crisis talks were sparked after a series of alleged young offenders were released on bail, including a 14-year-old charged with almost 400 offences.

But until recently Allan continually batted away questions about the crisis she has now – spurred on by the Herald Sun’s Suburbs Under Siege campaign – comprehensively acknowledged.

There has been a concerning uptick in youth crime in recent years.

Criminal infiltration of government worksites is not new, either.

For almost a decade Allan has been responsible for Big Build and infrastructure projects as minister or Premier.

And in that time actions to crack down have come about reactively rather than proactively.

As minister for the Commonwealth Games, Allan was also late learning that the event was in strife.

Even as Commonwealth Games Australia was proposing cost savings, Allan was giving assurances to event bosses that the full budget would be available.

When lawyers were brought in to examine cancelling the event, Allan didn’t know.

She later pulled out of hosting the Games, blaming a higher-than-forecast cost.

New anti-vilification laws were promised in November.

Four months on they’re struggling to pass parliament.

Why the constant dithering?

Some claim incompetence, some indifference, and some acknowledge that the machinery of government is entangled in red tape.

Allan has been responsible for Big Build and infrastructure projects for almost a decade. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Throw in a third-term government working overtime to address record low polling numbers and it’s a wonder anything gets done.

But the government and Labor are not the only ones for which going slow is the standard operating speed.

We’re now 10 weeks into the new Liberal Party leadership of Brad Battin, and even the closest of political observers struggle to identify how the new team differs in any substantial way from that of predecessor John Pesutto.

There have been no new policy announcements, no obvious changes in daily operating practices, and no apparent effort to prepare for next year’s state election.

Work is being done behind the scenes, but that’s been neither public nor well communicated.

Certainly there has been some improvement in messaging and a slicker social media presence.

But don’t be fooled into thinking the parliamentary team is any more united than it was under former leaders Pesutto or Michael O’Brien.

Matthew Guy’s omission from that list is not accidental – he more than any other recent leader managed to maintain a rare state of unity.

But the internal issues that have become so much a part of the fabric of the modern Victorian Liberal Party persist under Battin’s watch.

Matthew Guy managed to maintain a rare state of unity. Picture: David Crosling

Which is perhaps why his decision to go on holiday last week – on a cruise, no less – was both leaked to the media and angered colleagues.

Nothing says clocking off like a cruise.

Images of reclining on the pool deck sipping pina coladas come to mind – all while back home Labor is running away with the messaging.

Of course, he is entitled to a break.

But internal critics say that after 10 weeks in the job and with no significant advancement on where Pesutto was, he had not yet earnt it.

In sticking with a pre-planned trip, Battin was missing in action when he had the opportunity to flex his leadership muscle as the government pushed out its new crime initiatives.

As a former cop and prison guard, there is no area of policy Battin knows better than crime, and he can put a credible case on the hot-button issue.

But he was nowhere to be seen.

With 20 months to go until the election, Battin’s Coalition remains well ahead in the polls – 55.5 per cent to 44.5 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

But those numbers are Pesutto’s, given they were published shortly after December’s leadership coup.

Battin’s Liberals are yet to be tested.

But they’d want to pick up the pace, get the campaign infrastructure working and increase their policy development if they want to maintain their advantage and translate polling responses into votes.