THE number of criminal offences committed in the Gannawarra Shire last year rose by 6.6 per cent from 2015.
According to the latest date from the Crime Statistics Agency of Victoria, 629 offences were committed in 2016 compared to 590 the previous year.
Despite the sizeable increase, it is less than the statewide increase of 10.2 per cent, with offences rising from 500,971 to 552,005.
Offence rates in Gannawarra climbed in three of six divisions: Justice procedure offences rose 39.4 per cent from 99 to 138; public order and security offences rose 14.9 per cent from 67 to 77; crimes against the person rose 10.7 per cent from 112 to 124; property and deception offences fell 5.1 per cent from 257 to 244; drug offences fell 10 per cent from 50 to 45; and other offences fell 80 per cent from five to one.
Public nuisance offences was the subdivision with the largest increase, rising from five offences to 10.
There was a concerning increase in breaches of orders, with offences climbing from 88 to 125 – a rise of 42 per cent.
Stalking and harassment offences rose 46.7 per cent from 15 to 22, while there were 24 sexual offences committed in 2016 compared to 18 in 2015.
Anecdotally, there had been a significant increase in burglary and theft offences locally, and this was confirmed by the data. Burglary rates rose 14 per cent from 50 to 57, while theft rose 14.4 per cent from 111 to 127.
Subdivisions with the largest decreases included drug dealing and trafficking offences, which fell from seven to two.
Property damage offences reduced from 62 to 35, while arson crimes fell from 14 to six.
Crime rates have long been heavily politicised, and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh was quick to criticise Premier Daniel Andrews over the increases.
“These figures are a damning indictment on Daniel Andrews and his soft touch on law and order,” he said.
Mr Walsh said that under the Liberal Nationals, law and order would be a top priority.
“The Liberal Nationals have announced that in government we will repeal Labor’s watering down of youth bail laws passed in 2016; we will establish a ‘one strike and you’re out’ rule for any bail breaches as well as establishing a bail system that has the presumption of remand for violent offenders because bail is a privilege, not a right,” he said.
The Premier told the Herald Sun that the government’s recruitment of 3000 police would help address the increases.
“We know there was a six or seven-year trend in terms of crime across our state,” he said.
“That’s why it’s critically important we give to the Chief Commissioner the resources, the tools and powers he needs and that’s what we’re doing.”
