Member for Hastings, Neale Burgess, has welcomed the announcement that a Victorian Coalition Government will make Victoria’s train system safe again; including the Stony Point Line.

 

Mr Burgess said that a Victorian Coalition Government will put a Victoria Police Protective Services Officer (PSOs) on every metropolitan railway station and major regional centre, from 6pm until after the last train, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

 

Mr Burgess added “I am very pleased to confirm that under this policy there will be a trained and armed Victoria Police Protective Services Officer on every station between our community and the city, including Stony Point, Crib Point, Morradoo, Bittern, Hastings, Tyabb, Somerville, Baxter and Leawarra stations.

 

These officers will be dedicated to protecting the community at their station and will not be diverted elsewhere. They will be trained and authorised to arrest, remove or impede any offenders or threatening individuals, unlike the current situation where customer service staff are ordered not to get involved in any incidents, leaving Victorians alone to fend for themselves.

 

Mr Burgess said “Members of our community have had to put up with violence and intimidation for too long. It is time that Victorians were able to feel safe again when travelling on our train network.”

 

 Mr Burgess added “This policy does not only affect train travellers; anyone in the vicinity of a train station will know that if they can get to a train station they will find trained and armed Victoria Police Protective Services Officers with the skills and the powers to keep them safe”.

 

Mr Burgess said: “This initiative is just the first of a series of policies that the Victorian Coalition will implement in government to make Victoria a safe place to live, work and raise a family again.”

 

Mr Burgess added: “Crime on our public transport has continued to skyrocket under this government, with more than 9000 offences reported last year alone. The Brumby Government has shown that it is either incapable of putting a stop to this violence or does not want to.”

 

“A Coalition Government will take a strong stand on the issue of community safety and a zero tolerance approach to violence on public transport.” said Mr Burgess.

 

Mr Burgess said: “I receive complaints every week from people afraid of using the Stony Point Line at night, because of the threat of violence and unlawful behaviour on our trains. The Brumby Government has offered no solution and has no plan of action”

 

Under the Victorian Coalition’s Stopping Crime in its Tracks plan:

 

·        Victoria Police PSOs will form a dedicated unit of 940 uniformed and trained officers, under the direction of Victoria Police, providing blanket coverage of train stations from 6pm;

·        Victoria Police PSOs will be permanently stationed on every train station in metropolitan Melbourne and the major regional centres from 6pm until last train, seven days a week;

·        Victoria Police PSOs will be deployed exclusively on train stations and will not be diverted elsewhere;

·        Victoria Police PSOs will be ready to respond to any threat, incident or attack that occurs on any train station from 6pm until last train;

·        PSOs will be in position to arrest, remove or impede any offenders or threatening individuals, unlike the current situation where customer service staff are told not to get involved in any incidents and Victorians are left alone on stations; and

·        100 new Victoria Police officers will be recruited to the Transit Safety Division to patrol train, tram and bus networks.

 

“The Brumby Government is soft on crime. Victorians need and deserve strong leadership on the key issues of safety and law and order. A Baillieu Government will take a hard line on crime, violence and anti social behaviour on the Stony Point Line” said Mr Burgess.