by CAA | Mar 1, 2026 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues, Youth, Youth Crime
Two teenagers were arrested after stealing a taxi and holding a knife to the driver’s throat during a terrifying carjacking.
The apparent arrogance of the Jurists to legislation, the government, and the people of this state is now ‘beyond the pale.’
The recovered knife was well capable of inflicting the fatal wound of slitting the driver’s throat, as their actions implied.
The children appeared before a Children’s Court Magistrate and were granted bail.
This offence was committed some three hours after the new stricter laws came into effect in an effort by the government to reduce juvenile crime.
It is concerning that the legislation fails at the first test.
The actions of the Youths aggravate this by throwing the knife onto a Factory roof, demonstrating they well knew their actions were criminal, and that is further aggravated by the knife they used.
Not your common domestic variety, but a type used in abattoirs, butchery and gutting fish, arguably more dangerous than a machete, showing another flaw in the machete legislation.
While we support the Judiciary in its difficult task, blatant disregard for legislation cannot be tolerated, as it will undermine the Judiciary’s independence.
This matter of wanton disregard for the law by a Court is as egregious as the offences committed by the youths. This must be addressed, and the immediate issuing of proceedings against the Magistrate to show cause why they should not be held in contempt of Parliament is necessary.
If this action is not taken immediately, these actions by a Magistrate could well lead to a breakdown in the long-held traditional relationship between the Jurists and the Government.
It is likely to force the Government to enact further legislation, reinforcing their role as the legislators and the Courts’ subservience to legislation.
A lack of decisive action by the Government will show them up as weak and not committed to proper and effective jurisprudence.
We are disappointed that other Jurists have not spoken out against this Magistrate’s actions, reinforcing the view that some Jurists have formed a club that encourages pushback against laws they do not favour for ideological reasons, rather than being servants of the Law.
We have long argued that the role of the Courts in reducing crime should be one of their primary considerations, and Justices should be held to account for their effectiveness.
Bad decisions that do not serve the community well must be identified and remedial action taken to ensure that all jurists perform to a satisfactory standard.
But the problem is that there appear to be no standards, and there does not appear to be an effective Judicial Review process to rein in outlier Justices or cancel their contracts.
In most other spheres of professional endeavour, there are checks and balances to ensure the particular cohort is performing to its optimum
However, there appears to be no such process in place for the Jurists, and if there are any, they are totally ineffective. The community is entitled to know how the Jurists are performing.
How the Courts can avoid accountability to the community for their role in the current crime wave is really extraordinary.
It is time that the current court system is put under the microscope.
- The performance of individual Jurists.
- In sentencing,
- Adherence to the Legislation,
- Efficient use of allocated Court time,
- Further education undertaken,
- Their review of the impact of their decisions on sentencing and bail procedure after the event (performance effectiveness measuring).
- The performance of the Courts,
- Court efficiency and work output by Jurists, compared across the Court system.
- Using the same comparative process, the effectiveness of the jurist’s decision-making can be evaluated.
Like all their endeavours, it is critical that the Courts take responsibility for Service Delivery and not fall for the trap of masking poor Service delivery with Service efficiency, as many other organisations have.
When it comes to organisational or individual efficiency, it must be tested for its impact on Service delivery; if it reduces or affects that part of the equation, then back to the drawing board and try again.
The temptation to undertake a review of the system and the performance of individuals is real, however, who should conduct that review is the burning question, because the norm seems to be that any attempts to upgrade and make the Court system more productive and efficient is generally given to individuals who are part of and immersed in the current system, so anything that might upset the comfortable ‘apple cart’ will render the reviewer ‘persona non gratia’ in the Legal profession the fear of which controls the profession.
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by CAA | Feb 27, 2026 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
Industrial relations between the Force and its Police employees are currently facing a significant crisis, but an even greater problem is heading down the rails towards them.
When it arrives, it will have devastating consequences, particularly impacting the Victorian diaspora.
We are referring to,
- The concept of employees working from home being legislated.
- The significant number of Migrants, with many from countries where the rule of law either does not apply or is only marginal.
- The continuing erosion of the legislated Powers for Police to do their work, driven by ideology.
- The lack of support from the judiciary. This is particularly so in relation to Bail processes, and again, ideologically driven.
- and the Inefficiency of the Court System penalising both the police and the victims.
Coupled with the industrial landscape, the Force now finds itself on a collision course of these factors, and the consequences do not bear thinking about.
The mass exodus of 450 Police, accepting a sick leave payout deal, was reported in the Herald Sun on the 22nd of February 2026.
‘How a Victoria Police sick leave deal triggered a mass exodus from the force’. – HS Headline.
The deal that expired on the 31st of December 2025 is the key to aggravating an already dire staffing problem that is having a devastating impact on Force members.
As if what the police who are left are dealing with isn’t enough, gross negligence will only exacerbate the situation and lead to an increased rush out the door.
What we don’t know is who is responsible for creating this crisis.
- Is it the Government?
- The Police Association or
- The then Police administration negotiating the EBA?
An independent inquiry into this fiasco is urgently required to apportion blame and provide guidance on how the Force can address this staffing disaster.
Did they not see the unintended consequences of the impact this would have on the rest of the Force by this Enterprise Bargaining agreement?
Or was this some sleight of hand or skulduggery whereby the Government moved unrealised liabilities to another part of the ledger, so that paying out the Police members with the Sick Leave sugar hit, the Government achieved immediate savings on salaries?
The average pay grade for a Police member, including allowances, is over $100k per annum. When you consider other employment liabilities and costs, the 450 members who were attracted to the Sugar hit, in real numbers, translates into half a Billion Dollars off the government’s budget bottom line. We already know that it will take perhaps a decade to bring the numbers back up.
All the while, the Government wallows in the knowledge that they are saving a bomb for the entire forward estimates and paying homage to those who see defunding the Force as a legitimate cause.
Based on current estimates, it will take 6.25 years just to replace those lost due to the EBA. And that does not take into account any other adverse staffing hits incurred through to 2032 just to bring the Force back up to 2025 levels. The risk factors are insurmountable; in the current environment, it just won’t happen.
As Darryl Kerrigan would say, “ Tell ’em they’re dreaming”
Although the community inevitably suffers when the numbers in the Force drop to the point where one in 11 police vacancies are unfilled, what is not spoken about is the devastating impact on the remaining members trying to hold the Force up.
This latest double whammy has a two-pronged impact.
Firstly, it is undeniable that losing experienced Officers is counterproductive, but the pressure placed on the remaining staff will only lead to increased sick leave and resignations.
Police across the State already work a disproportionate number of after-hours shifts. Still, this latest blow will increase the frequency of Night Shift and other shifts that are less conducive to their lifestyle and family, putting greater negative pressure on them not to continue their careers.
We do not begrudge the members being paid out; the question is how, in such a difficult staffing climate, this payout was allowed to be so mismanaged, rather than a phased approach over a number of years and more closely managed.
Somebody has failed, and we need to know who the culprits are.
Then, to top things off, we have a more significant crisis heading our way that seems to be completely overlooked, and we see no strategies in place to deal with it.
Yes, the ubiquitous Working From Home (WFH) monster is heading for the Force (and all other emergency services) at breakneck speed, with legislation touted to be introduced before the Elections in November for a legislated two-day WFH right for State workers.
Yes, it does have some wishy-washy qualifier, an if, but how long that if will last is anybody’s guess, but in the norm for Industrial relations issues, the shoe is in the door.
There has been a lot of publicity about how employees who work from home can save money, but that is insulting to those who have the ‘if’ applied to them without compensation.
Police are already under huge stress due to the routing of the Force’s strength.
When the WFH train hits, problems will multiply, and the exodus will continue and accelerate alarmingly as members burn out more quickly, aggravating staffing shortfalls.
Why would anybody work godforsaken shifts to be spat on and cursed, be expected to deal day in and day out with the scum of our society, with a workload that is increasing exponentially while the workforce declines by the same matrix?
How fair is it that these people, who put their social lives in limbo, their safety on the line, and are increasingly being called on to deal with the worst that society has to offer, be any less deserving of the financial windfalls than other State employees who enjoy WFH?
The whole WFH debate lacks one imperative: productivity.
How is an employee’s productivity measured when they WFH?
There is no doubt that some WFH individuals are diligent, but many others may go through the motions without proper supervision.
Anecdotally, we are advised that traffic on Golf Courses has increased dramatically in recent times, as has dog walking, and that car parks at gyms are full during the traditional working week. You have also probably noticed a substantial increase in Lycra-clad treadlies on our scenic roads.
Productivity, accountability, and satisfactory levels of employee performance and effectiveness, compared to the salaries they attract, have not been included or even discussed. The example of individuals doing the big circuit for months at a time or answering their phone while on the beach will continue to rort the system.
Then think of the poor Police, who are again the brunt of this mismanagement, with the consequences seemingly evaded.
Our new Chief Commissioner has shown strong leadership, being clear-eyed about the issues. However, his role is being stymied by other pressures not of his making that will have far-reaching, deleterious impacts on the Force; impacts that even he may not be able to manage.
We definitely need a Royal Commission into this whole issue of police staffing and allied impacts so that proper planning to address the issues can be determined, as equally important as who or what entity is responsible for this mess and how they will be held to account.
It will be argued that a Royal Commission would be too expensive. Still, that expense pales into insignificance compared with the impact of the Government’s mismanagement of the Force in recent decades, which continues unabated.
But what can be done?
A review of the Force’s training would be one answer.
The media claim of 77 additional recruits per year is a drop in the bucket that will evaporate before having any impact, so radical approaches must be explored.
With the WFH edicts, the Government must have redundant buildings, as maintaining an exclusive workstation or office for WFH employees is nonsensical, so rationalisation is imperative.
This would free up additional resources to accommodate a vast quantitative expansion of training.
The resources for conducting the training can be drawn from members who need some reprieve from the frontline, a sabbatical, and/or members who can be encouraged to return to the Force in a training capacity.
Rather than the current approach to Police ongoing training needs, which currently favours online training of operational members, they can be trained at a new facility in a matter of weeks, rather than the months it takes for online training.
Shorter periods of focused classroom training will be more effective and have added benefits over the online model, which proponents argue is more efficient, but that is at the expense of effectiveness.
Classroom training advantages give the members a break from the frontline, exposing them to peers and enabling proactive assessment of their psychological status rather than waiting for the dreaded PTSI to strike, making them incapable of performing.
As far as recruits go, that number can be increased threefold by the first part of their training at the Academy, followed by the bulk of their training off campus at
another training facility, returning to the Academy for the last four weeks and graduation.
This approach will also avoid the need to reduce recruits’ training time to accommodate larger numbers, which may well be a false economy. Training is critical to the organisation’s effective capability and should attract greater focus.
It will be the Police administration’s ability to think outside the square to address staffing problems that makes a difference.
Many other initiatives will alleviate the issue; our Police members deserve something better.
The whole concept of encouraging retired police back to alleviate pressure on the existing force must be rethought so that the numbers returning are substantial, which may include removing the time barriers after leaving the force, as it is the quality and suitability of the returning applicant to perform the tasks on offer, not some arbitrary date, that should be the primary consideration.
The arbitrary date methodology is an antiquated approach from a bygone era. Matching the applicant to a task approach is more current in staff appreciation.
Is there a need for an inquiry? Yes.
The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) is funded by the members and the generous donations from the public. Please consider donating to help us continue to work for you. Simply click on the button below. Thank you - your generosity is very much appreciated.
by CAA | Feb 25, 2026 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
‘Decanting’ is the name given to the process of shuffling prisoners on remand around Police stations to avoid exceeding the 14-day holding limit for each prisoner. With over 300 prisoners being shuffled between Police cells, as reported in The Age on the 24th of February 2026, this is an absolute disgrace on multiple fronts. Foremost is the unnecessary use of Police time being absorbed, not only the physical movement of prisoners, but the wasted time police spend on accompanying paperwork. Additionally, the greatest risk to the safety of Police and Prison staff is when prisoners are being moved, and the risk of escape or violence is most likely to occur; therefore, prisoner movements must be discouraged, not extended.
But back to the ‘Decanting’. How is it that the Force can breach the detention days by shuffling prisoners? They are still in detention, and the police are being used to breach the intention of the Prisoner management rules – how legal is that? The strategy of this process allows the police to ‘reset the clock’ to avoid breaching regulations. That is not how a problem like this should be dealt with, breaking the rules, and a proper solution needs to be determined as a matter of urgency before a hapless police member is caught up in an incident with a Prisoner during the transport that sees the member injured or charged.
If something happens, you can bet the hierarchy will see the blame at the frontline, not the administration’s failure to facilitate a solution to an obvious, avoidable problem. We have lost hundreds of Police from the street whose job it is to protect us, but we have police tied up ‘defending prisoners’ rights, how is that justified? Facilitating the police to break the rules is a disgrace. We expect our Police to set an example for the rest of the community, but in this case, the Force accepts/requires breaches to occur, although the problem was not caused by the Police.
Charging criminals and opposing bail for the safety of the community is their real job. We accept that prisoners on remand are not convicted of the alleged crimes, and that a Court has determined they should be remanded pending the hearing to determine the outcome of the charges. Ensuring the prisoner returns to Court and that the community’s safety is protected are essential considerations. The prisoner’s welfare or cultural issues should play no part in the Court’s decision, as all prisoners should be treated equally before the Law. The solution is mind-bendingly simple. For a Prisoner to be held on remand, they have the same physical and administrative resource needs no matter where they are located. And the Prisoner on remand or a Prisoner serving a sentence should have the same basic rights and restrictions.
The label on the door is the only thing that changes from one cell to another. That the prisons are full is hardly an excuse, given that they were closing down a Jail in Victoria and building additional capacity in the juvenile justice space. Some creative management should solve this problem overnight, and a Prisoner on remand in the same facility as Prisoners serving sentences, though separated, must and could well be accommodated.
Remember, the label on the cell door determines the status of the person behind it. The management of Prisoners is a corrections issue, not a police one, and given the egregious level of lack of safety the public is experiencing, it is essential that police used in this process be returned to general duty (making us safe) as an absolute priority. This problem dates back to at least 1987. After almost forty years, it cannot be said that the Government has been taken by surprise.
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by CAA | Feb 14, 2026 | Corruption, Investigations, Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
Picture Herald Sun.
It would be reasonable to transpose the issues, with a modern twist, that led to the permanent deregistration of the Builders Labourers Foundation (BLF) in 1986, including the jailing of their Secretary, Norm Gallagher.
The long-standing Secretary of the CFMEU, until recently, John Setka, although jailed in 1990, unlike Gallagher, has not been jailed for his CFMEU activities. That might all change, as he is due to face court in June 2026 on seven charges relating to threatening and abusive emails.
The alleged criminal behaviour of the CFMEU, as reported in the Herald Sun on 12 February 2026 and other publications, when compared to the behaviour of the BLF in the 80’s, makes the BLF seem tame.
As disgraceful and criminal as this alleged behaviour may be, there is a more serious consideration: the need for a “please explain” from the Victorian Government.
After all the reports of bad behaviour, how did this government not act?
All the rhetoric that the politicians may present cannot erase the hard fact that the Government has failed, because they have been ‘once bitten, twice shy’. How irresponsible is it to have this problem resurface?
It now means the Government must not only resolve the CFMEU’s current issues but also undertake the necessary work to ensure that such alleged criminality in the organised union workforce does not recur.
Unfortunately, the Union movement as a whole will have to accept restrictive practices imposed not only because of the CFMEU’s behaviour, but also because this is not the first time Unions have facilitated criminality.
Among the restrictions designed to promote and protect lawful union behaviour will be the need to change the industrial relations landscape across the board.
The Government must accept responsibility for managing Union activity and provide enforceable behavioural and activity-based standards, with breaches subject to swift prosecution, including jail time and fines.
The Fair Work Commission (the National Workplace Relations Tribunal) coordinates its activities through the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU).
The failure of these bodies has clearly been the root cause of and the explosion of alleged criminality within the union movement.
Having the ACTU coordinating the regulations of the Fair Work Commission, along with their State branch affiliates like the Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC), not only is cumbersome and likely to be inefficient, but it could be argued that this is like ‘putting a fox in charge of the chook house’; nothing good can come from it.
As unpalatable as it might be politically, the Premier is caught between ‘a rock and a hard place’.
If she doesn’t call a Royal Commission, the Opposition will have a field day as the community will accept nothing less.
If she calls a Royal Commission, the evidence could be politically damaging if made public during the election lead-up. Again, the Opposition can make an issue of this.
There have been four Royal Commissions in Victoria over the last decade, and they are all well-justified and go to addressing serious anomalies; however, we would argue that the impact on Law and Order, the safety of our community, and the cost to the State (us) in the broader impact of the CFMEU issue, has far surpassed previous Commissions.
Key Victorian Royal Commissions (Approx. 2016–2026):
- Royal Commission into Family Violence (2015–2016): Led to major reforms in the state’s approach to domestic violence.
- Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants (2019–2020): Investigated the use of lawyer Nicola Gobbo as a police informer.
- Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (2019–2021): Investigated and made recommendations to overhaul the state’s mental health services.
- Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence (2021): Investigated the suitability of Crown Resorts to hold the Melbourne casino licence.
A Royal Commission is essential to ensure no other entities have been turning a blind eye or otherwise compromised.
Our laws are the cornerstone of our democracy and the freedoms we enjoy, so, as with other serious matters, it is essential that the CFMEU and the broader Building/Construction industries, as well as Unionism more broadly in this State, be addressed.
What cannot be expressed strongly enough is that the alleged unlawful behaviours of the CFMEU and other players, not yet identified, constitute serious organised crime, and that the adverse impact on all of us, as crime stretches its tentacles, goes far beyond the Building Industry. The Industry is just the epicentre.
The solution is to equip IBAC, as our anti-corruption body, with the resources and expertise to be effective, something that they are now not.
The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) is funded by the members and the generous donations from the public. Please consider donating to help us continue to work for you. Simply click on the button below. Thank you - your generosity is very much appreciated.
by CAA | Feb 11, 2026 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues, Violence, Youth Crime
Herald Sun Pic.
The Herald Sun article, 9th of February 12026, highlights the shocking statistics recently released by Victoria Police on this crime trend.
The numbers are important, but what matters most is the real impact on the victims.
Tough new laws introduced by the Government in 2016 have had no positive effect.
It is clear now that the habit of certain politicians making announcements without any intent of the problem being addressed or resolved. It is now turning out to be the mantra of the most recent decade of political leaders, as more and more announcements turn out to be just hollow rhetoric designed to impress the electorate, a veil for inaction.
These politicians who are highly shortsighted will pay a steep price for their recklessness.
It is now evident that hollow political policy announcements are a form of obfuscation. Exposed with regular monotony in the daily news over a wide spectrum of social issues lately. Carjacking is just another subject in a long line of false undertakings.
Politicians must be accountable, and not just at the ballot box.
And while politicians may revel in their effectiveness in deceiving the electorate, the number of victims keeps racking up as rapidly as the effectiveness of the courts decline.
The view that the problem is a Policing one is shallow and ill-informed. Although there are actions the Police can take, the real cause of the upswing in this crime is the Courts’ mismanagement of the perpetrators and the Government’s failure to hold the Courts to account and ensure that perpetrators suffer real consequences sufficient to discourage further offending.
Until the Courts accept, or are directed to accept, accountability for the problems predominantly caused by Juvenile offenders, then and only then will we see improvements in the management of this and other serious Juvenile crime.
The Government has many levers at its disposal and must start to use them.
All the sentencing initiatives are of no use if the judiciary can find ways to circumvent them.
Until the Judiciary starts to put the community and the victims first, we will see no meaningful change, yet the Government has the power to legislate the hierarchy of considerations in sentencing as an adjunct to the sentencing guidelines.
Unfortunately, the guidelines have morphed into instructions that may not reflect the will of the legislators but can be used by Jurists to administer the law in a manner conducive to their social reform agenda.
Putting the welfare of an individual perpetrator ahead of the community at large and the victims is an anathema to good jurisprudence.
The solution is not easy and does not rest solely with the Courts, although their role is pivotal; there is a pressing need to identify mechanisms to engage with the criminal cohort to raise awareness of the risks they face from their behaviour and to promote change.
Although no criminal will commit a crime knowing they will be caught, even with the chances of being caught extremely high, there is no accounting for stupidity, ignorance, or both.
The cost to the community and Government of this crime is horrendous, so spending on communicating and promoting a clear and consistent message that crime doesn’t pay will have a positive impact.
Particularly, if the perpetrators are belittled for their behaviour in the view of their peers by a simple slogan. “Don’t be a bloody idiot”, promoted by the media and the Courts.
Language they would understand and a label they would abhor.
The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) is funded by the members and the generous donations from the public. Please consider donating to help us continue to work for you. Simply click on the button below. Thank you - your generosity is very much appreciated.
by CAA | Feb 2, 2026 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
As the Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) steps into 2026, we do so with momentum, clarity of purpose, and a deep respect for those who have served before us. Our achievements in 2025 were significant—but they were also constrained by a simple reality: capacity.
Retired police members have always been at the heart of the CAA’s work. Their insight, operational understanding, and lived experience of service make them uniquely positioned to help shape the future of community safety in Victoria.
Critical to the effectiveness of the CAA is the non-police members who come from a diverse background, providing balance and real insight into the hearts and minds of the community.
Now, more than ever, we need you to join us in the fight.
Ten Years of Progress—But Much More to Do
In 2025,
- The CAA website had 174,833 visits in 2025 with 1,063,489 pages accessed from a reach of 43,000, making the site our primary communication vehicle, an outstanding success by any measure.
- We advocated for countless individuals who were unable to make their voices heard.
- Provided informed, operationally grounded advice on multiple Bills before Parliament.
- Developed a policy that CAA does not make comments on any issue unless it can also provide suggested solutions.
- Continued vital work supporting former Police suffering from PTSI—injuries caused not by lifestyle, but by duty.
- Assisting the PSTI Health Service through our PTSI Team, ensuring former members are as far as possible, not left behind.
- Expanded our role in combating the rise of doxing—a dangerous trend that has cost young people their lives.
- Providing advice to VicPol from our vast Policing experience influenced by our strong, diversified non-police members.
- Continues to advocate strongly, representing various communities badly affected by the drug scourge.
- We also strengthened our working relationship with VicPol subsequent to the appointment of Chief Commissioner Mike Bush, giving us a direct and productive channel to raise issues and propose solutions.
Why 2026 Is Critical
Our workload continues to grow. Community demand is increasing. And every week, more people turn to us for help navigating systems that are often complex and unresponsive.
But like many volunteer-driven organisations, our membership is ageing, and our capacity is stretched.
To keep doing this essential work—work grounded in integrity, fairness and community safety—we need to bring in more experienced hands.
We need to bring you in..
Be Part of the Next Chapter
2026, an election year, will be a defining year for the CAA and the law-and-order space. With the right people on board, we can expand our impact, amplify the voices of those who need help, and build a stronger organisation for years to come.
We are asking for people who know what service truly means—to stand with us.
Join us. Support us. Continue the mission.
Your experience matters—and Victoria needs you.
If you are the right fit, the next step is?
Forward your expression of interest and contact details by email to ceo@caainc.org.au .
We will arrange for one of our Directors to contact you to discuss membership.
The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) is funded by the members and the generous donations from the public. Please consider donating to help us continue to work for you. Simply click on the button below. Thank you - your generosity is very much appreciated.
by CAA | Jan 6, 2026 | Politics, Victoria Police Issues
As we move into 2026 and 2025 fades into history, we need to focus on what this year can deliver. In this area, we each have a responsibility to help make 2026 better than 2025.
Without your effort, complacency will set in, and we will look back on ’26 as the year that could have been but never was.
At a time when crime is at an all-time high, and many citizens live daily with fear, the insidious growth of crime erodes all of our freedoms just as certainly as COVID did.
What is regularly overlooked is the damage the sheer cost of crime imposes on all of us, and at this time of fiscal austerity, these costs are borne mainly by those who can least afford it.
The cost of crime likely outstrips the acceleration in energy costs, the single most significant cost we all bear beyond shelter and food.
It was very recently that we lost most of our freedoms through the poor management of the COVID Pandemic, and we are fast losing our freedom again, this time, crime is the culprit.
There is plenty of blame-shifting over who is responsible, and most of those blamed likely bear some culpability. Still, there is reason for hope that ’26 will see dramatic changes in the effectiveness of Victoria Police, the bulwark against crime.
We can blame the Courts, and so we should; however, the primary role of any Police Force is to prevent crime.
While the Courts have a vital deterrent role and a duty to protect society from the bad or mad, it is the Police who must tackle the issue by preventing crimes before they occur.
To do this, the Force needs to be fit for purpose, and to date, that has been problematic.
If it were not for the dedication of vast numbers of individuals in the Force, then our situation would have further deteriorated.
It is highly commendable that individual police officers have risen to the challenge despite disincentives and barriers caused by poor administrative decisions that were actively placed in their way.
The appointment of Mike Bush as our new Chief Commissioner is a bright light at the end of a gloomy tunnel, and we are confident he will make a difference, prompting us to reflect on an analogy to an Orange Tree for the task he faces.
For an Orange tree to bear quality and quantity of fruit fit for purpose, the first thing that needs to be done is to address the piles of manure piled up around its trunk, expecting in vain that this will produce a viable crop.
The risk with this approach in Policing has been evident for a long time, as these piles rot, the damage to the tree becomes evident.
Trees like the Force need more than just manure; they need other vital inputs like water, but most importantly, the tree needs light.
An overwatered or overfed tree will not produce well, but as any worthwhile horticulturist will tell you, the maintenance of the structure of the tree is critical.
Dead wood must be pruned back to the trunk and the tree stripped of any diseased parts, even if there are signs that part of the diseased structure may bear some fruit.
The removal must be done carefully to prevent disease and infestations from spreading, and the centre of the tree should be thinned to allow sunlight to penetrate throughout the tree.
Policing will always be healthier when the light is let into the organisation and accountability is fostered.
Regular, proactive treatment of the tree is paramount, as it helps prevent disease and promotes a healthier tree and better yields.
It is often too late when disease or infection becomes apparent, so regular, proactive attention is critical.
To achieve an outstanding tree that produces exceptional fruit, careful, skilled management and planning are required.
And where does this all start in Policing with this analogical theory?
It starts with the pile of manure at the base of the tree that needs to be scraped away and disposed of, and with recognising all those parts of the tree that have had to battle through these piles to perform their function.
by CAA | Dec 22, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
CAA comment
This plea, published by Martha Tsamis, a Director of the CAA, resonates with all Australians at this time when terror has struck.
One of the most effective weapons against terrorism is community harmony.
This narrative delivers a poignant message that other community leaders must embrace to help build community resilience against tyranny.
It’s not just politicians who must embrace rebuilding our country’s heart; other business and social leaders must do the same.
Sitting on the window ledge, I look out and realise it’s the same play — just different actors. Different times, tougher paths, changing faces… but the human story never really changes.
For nearly two decades on Chapel Street, Patrick & I have seen the best and the worst of life and hospitality. We’ve watched people celebrate, grieve, fall apart, fall in love, rebuild, and start again. What I’ve learned is this: we are not meant to do life alone.
Social spaces aren’t just about nightlife — they’re about connection. About belonging. About mental health, community, laughter, music, and that moment where someone feels seen instead of invisible.
The challenges today are heavier. People are facing tougher versions of life than ever before. And that’s exactly why connection matters more than ever. When we lose places to gather, we lose more than businesses — we lose support systems.
Chapel Street has long been iconic for its people. It still can be. But it needs care, courage, and community to thrive again.
Different actors. Same stage. And we’re all connected — whether we realise it or not. So, let’s bring back the Chapel Street Festival.
Martha
Chasers Nightclub
by CAA | Dec 20, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
One could be mistaken by this headline as to who the victims of the Bondi massacre were.
The headline supports the reality that Multiculturalism has been manipulated and assisted by inaction and poor leadership by legislators and promoted by sectors of the media; Australia has become a Nation of tribes.
We are now reaping what we have sown, with 15 Australians dead and at least 38 injured.
The truth is that while our hearts go out to all those directly or indirectly affected by this outrage, the victims of this murderous rampage are Australians, victims of a very un-Australian act and it all could have been avoided.
This misleading headline assumes that one particular tribe in Australia was the victim.
While they may have been a target for some obscure reasons that promote hatred towards fellow humans, the reality is that tribalism has hit us hard and must be attacked as viciously as the attack on the Australians, who are part of the Australian Jewish (tribe) community.
We have seen the failings of a tribal culture and how it spawns terrorism, and know of no examples, worldwide, where tribalism has built and maintained a successful nation, yet we are encouraged to embrace and promote it for our First Peoples, an act of cruelty.
Driven by the ideological left’s elites, we must push back against the further encroachment of this social wedge.
This event will cause, or must cause, a seismic shift in the attitude of our leaders to avert a repeat and demonstrate a lack of tolerance for hatred and tribalism.
On 28 April 1996, at Port Arthur in Tasmania, Martin Bryant killed 35 people during the attack and injured 23 others. It remains the deadliest mass shooting in modern Australian history and led to sweeping gun law reforms nationwide.
The Port Arthur attack prompted an immediate response (leadership) from the government of the day under Prime Minister Howard, who led the unpopular (with firearm owners) amendments to gun laws outlawing semi-automatic weapons of the type used by Bryant.
It is interesting that, without access to automatic weapons, the Akram duo shot five fewer victims than Bryant. If the Akrams had access to the types of weapons used by Bryant, the outcome at Bondi does not bear thinking about.
What separates this barbarous act of terror at Bondi is the global influences that contributed and a clear failure of our immigration processes, allowing extremists who dedicate themselves to the destruction of our Liberal democracy to enter the country.
The Bryant massacre was entirely homegrown, but this massacre was, in a sense, imported. This means that a robust border system can dramatically reduce the risk of bringing international conflicts to our shores.
Poor migration decisions based on local ideological values must stop.
Initial reactions from our Prime Minister seem to be gun-focused, and while we support the tightening of gun laws in Australia, we need to ensure that the focus is not entirely on the weapons but on the lowlifes using them.
We must ensure the government’s focus is appropriately placed, and that they do not use the weapons as a smokescreen to avoid more pressing matters that would help prevent a repetition.
The Government does not need inquiries and commissions to address the issue of migration; it should vet those seeking to join our wonderful Nation.
The Australian Values Statement already exists but has never been made Law, as is the case in many comparable jurisdictions.
The Australian Government’s Values Statement includes a commitment to:
- Respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual.
- Freedom of religion, including the freedom not to follow a particular religion.
- Freedom of speech and freedom of association.
- Commitment to the rule of law – that all people are subject to the law & should obey it.
- Parliamentary democracy.
- Equality of opportunity for all people, regardless of gender, age, disability, race, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
- A “fair go”, embracing mutual respect, tolerance, compassion for those in need, and equality of opportunity.
- Recognition of the English language as the national language and a unifying element of Australian society.
An addendum including some of the additional matters we see as essential must be passed into law as a matter of urgency, and the value Statement included in the constitution so it cannot be fiddled with by successive governments.
These values must be enforceable and enforced, and as a general rule, any breach would see the prospective visa holder returned to their country of origin.
Those who have applied and been granted citizenship must, as a matter of course, follow the principles of the Value Statement. Failure would create an automatic cancellation of their citizenship. |
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The following adjustments and actions must be considered.
Citizenship
- If any migrant resists accepting the liberal democracy principles, they and their family should have all visas or citizenship revoked and be sent back to their country of origin.
- Immediately revoke any visas or citizenship of any person preaching or promoting hate against any other Australian or group of Australians.
- Immediately legislate the prohibition of Sharia Law or other ideologies masquerading as religion that is not compatible with a Liberal Democracy. Proponents already in the country must have all visas cancelled, and those who have been granted citizenship must be deported. A zero-tolerance approach must be applied.
- Remove the rights of individuals and or families to use the legal system to delay deportation or other sanctions. They can reapply or contest the decision from their country of origin.
- Remove all social services support for any Visa holder – only available to Australian citizens.A two-year period after granting citizenship before they can be considered for welfare. If they do not have reasonable reasons, their citizenship can be revoked and be returned to their country of origin.
- Legislate a prohibition on any government or other entity from providing financial support for individuals to challenge Migration decisions in the Courts.
- While controversial, the impact of criminal breaches of citizenship requirements must be applied to the perpetrator and their family. Deporting a family will have the most significant preventive impact of any initiative.
If a family consists of children born in Australia, a Child over 18 of good character who can demonstrate they can support themselves has a choice whether to accompany their family.
Motivating complete families to take responsibility for violence will be the most significant deterrent available.
It is incomprehensible that no other members of the AKRAM family were aware or suspected the murderous intent of the father-son duo.
National Security
- Immediately upgrade the capacity of ASIO and Police intelligence services to identify potential risks earlier.
- Immediately implement the CAA proposed G-Tag system (https://caainc.org.au/g-tag-a-new-paradigm-in-community-safety-2) to strengthen intelligence gathering and or incident mitigation.
- Do not allow the Government to deflect from the complex issues, in particular migration, by blaming the firearms.
Policing
- Increase funding to all State Police Forces by 25%. A necessity that is no longer a luxury and must be afforded.
- Immediately adjust the budget for ASIO to enable it to be fit for purpose.
- Hold police Commissioners to account for the failure to enforce laws prohibiting antisemitic or other hate activities.
- Immediately review the appropriate legislation to ensure it is fit for law enforcement purposes.
- Ensure that State Police prosecute any crimes under Federal legislation.
- Immediately establish a declared fund to compensate any Police officer or other emergency worker who puts their own life in jeopardy or is injured performing their duties.
- Politicians must stop playing the ‘numbers game ‘ semantics with the Police and other emergency organisations’ staffing levels. Australia has increased its population dramatically in recent years, but not the number of police, so the police-to-population ratio is not met.
- Establish the Australian benchmark for State Policing at 3 per 1000. In Victoria, this would equate to about 18,400, up from about 15,000.
- Constantly overlooked by legislators is the impact of the large numbers of additional migrants who require a disproportionate amount of Policing resources due to their cultural background and ideologies. Policing resources must be commensurate with the additional demands on police caused by this. Policing numbers in any prescribed enclave of migrants where crime or extremism is evident must be 6 per 1000.
Firearms
- Immediately establish the National Firearms Registry to specialise in the management of firearms within the community and ensure that access to weapons is limited to appropriate purposes.
- Remove this as a State Police function, but not the Police’s power to enforce the legislation.
- Establish a permanent, generous buy-back scheme. to encourage citizens to dispose of firearms that they no longer use. If you don’t use it, you lose it.
- Restrict each firearm license holder to a maximum number and type of firearms commensurate with their intended function that serves their needs recreationally or professionally. Remove numeric calculations. Trying to get a license for a smooth-bore or centrefire long-arm to destroy vermin in any town or city would not be justification; however, an air-powered weapon may be appropriate. Equally, a rimfire weapon would be totally unsuitable for the purpose of pig hunting or other large feral animals. The days of owning multiple firearms because they like them are over. Firearm licence holders must demonstrate that the purpose for their licence and associated weapons remains as relevant when the licence was issued- a 12-monthly review.
- Apart from registering all firearm licensed holders, the actual firearm must be registered and linked to a firearms license capable of being tracked Nationally.
- Any person who is not an Australian Citizen must not have access to any firearm or be granted any Licence to possess or carry a firearm, irrespective of the intended use. Any breach is subject to immediate revocation of any Visa or other authority and deportation.
- Visa holders cohabitating with family or others who have access to a legal firearm must be prohibited.If it is of a temporary nature, the firearms must be stored with a licensed Gun dealer for the duration of the cohabitation.
- Any person who is not an Australian Citizen must surrender any firearms and their Licence until they have achieved citizenship and satisfied any new criteria established post Bondi.
To project Australia’s strength internationally and discourage undesirables. Apart from resourcing our police, it is equally important to arm our Military.
Australia has developed a soft underbelly due to our weak, under-resourced military and equally weak justice system that favours social justice causes. A Country where you can cause mayhem and murder, and the Country will pick up the tab for your defence and associated legal costs, is self-destructing. This must stop.
Moreover, we are such a soft touch that we probably provide welfare to the accused terrorists and their families while our embarrassingly convoluted legal system is processing them. This must stop.
Critical to any Legislative review is ensuring that penalties for breaches of the Law do not create martyrs but instead degrade the ideology that sponsors them.
In the Bondi matter, the deceased father must have his remains disposed of, not returned to his family to become a martyr.
Financing the actions necessary to protect our citizenry and our culture will not be cheap; however, it must take top priority in Government expenditure.
The question most poignant now is, why do we continue to welcome and tolerate people who are of the ilk of these terrorists?
While we understand migrants will always adhere to their traditions and mother tongue, assimilation means that individuals would lose their identity, which is humanly impossible. Australia also benefits from diversity, be it cultural, social or economic.
What must be paramount is that, despite this, immigrants are loyal to Australia.
Reality has now set in, and Government priorities must place the highest priority on this issue. The safety of the State and its citizens ranks above all else.
A 3-year hiatus in expenditure on other less essential functions of Government would fund the necessary upgrades to our security to protect our Nation and its citizens.
The other priorities will still be there after the hiatus ends.
It is pointless to spend money on other issues when we may not be here to enjoy them; Our safety must prevail.
A Priorities review is now essential; we have had the wake-up call.
by CAA | Nov 30, 2025 | Family Violence, Illicit Drugs, Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues, Violence, Youth, Youth Crime
For many years, the issue of when a child can commit a crime has been quietly ticking away, but now the Government has stepped in, as they always do, and changed a system that had flaws; instead of fixing them, they have exacerbated them.
In 2024, the Government lifted the age of criminal responsibility, Doli Incapax, to 12 years, meaning children aged 10 and 11 could no longer be held criminally responsible.
Now the chickens have come home to roost with an 11-year-old armed with a kitchen knife, an edged weapon, and an imitation firearm, entering another classroom at a Primary School and injuring an 8-year-old child and a teacher with the knife. As reported in the Herald Sun, 29th of November 2025.
The 11-year-old apparently stormed a grade 1 classroom, making threats.
If that is accurate, it is tough to argue that the 11-year-old didn’t know his action was criminal.
The aggravating factor is that the 11-year-old was carrying a kitchen knife, so he was undoubtedly intending to storm another class, demonstrating an element of planning and premeditation well before the incident.
This was not some schoolyard tiff that got out of hand, but a deliberate, thought-out attack.
The problem is not as narrow as dealing with a young child, but rather that the Courts need to play a role to ensure that the child is put on the right path.
Simply sending a child who has committed what would otherwise be a crime on their way without a hint of a sanction is tantamount to giving them a free ticket, rewarding bad behaviour.
In these circumstances, not only is the 8-year-old a victim, but so is the 11-year-old, a victim of a poor legislative approach to the handling of juvenile crime.
There is a desperate need, at a minimum, to revert to the age provisions previously in place, whereby children between 10 and 14 can only be charged if they understand the criminality they have committed, and if they do not, ask why not?
Removing the 10-year-old limit would be very positive for the child as well as society. Removing the lower restrictions to allow the courts to decide, on a case-by-case basis, and on the evidence, and independently resolve whether the doctrine of Doli Incapax applies in that particular case. This resolves the flawed one-size-fits-all approach.
This would allow the court to make orders to protect the child, if necessary, as well as test whether the child knew what they were doing was criminal.
There was once a provision for dealing with children who were likely to lapse into a life of vice or crime. It might be a good time to resurrect such a provision.
The development of our younger generation now makes them better informed and more mature than that of their peers 20 years ago, but we are raising the age of criminality rather than lowering it, which would be more practical.
Allowing anybody of any age, but particularly young people, a free ride to flaunt the law and commit heinous crimes, which this 11-year-old did, is a recipe for disaster, promoting the idea that crime is free from sanctions, which therefore loses its deterrent effect.
The chance of this 11-year-old ending up on the end of a machete is real; it will be sheer luck which end he ends up on.
We need to remember that a child of any age can swing an edged weapon – the weapon does not discriminate by age.
The legal concept of Doli Incapax is surely outdated. Ten-year-olds should have had four or five years of schooling. If they have not received education on the evils of criminal behaviour by then, it is a sad indictment of their parents and particularly of the education system.
by CAA | Nov 26, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
The headline in the Herald Sun, 25th November 2025, our Premier Jacinta Allan says, ‘ – government’s crime crackdown ‘sending a clear message that sentences need to be longer’.
This rhetoric is ‘smoke and mirrors’ and very unlikely to bring about a change in sentencing levels for Victorian Courts, because Courts, thankfully, should not operate on the whim of the elected Government of the day, as that would be totalitarianism, but on precedent and any variations to legislation.
The Premier’s statements are also an admission that the Government has made major mistakes, as this Government is responsible for the appointment of all the judiciary over the past decade, so they are reaping what they sow.
Many of the worst decisions reported have been made by this government’s judicial appointees. So they need to fix the problem of their making.
We know of no empirical data supporting the theory that criminals will not offend, knowing that the sentence for the crime they are about to commit has increased.
For that matter, I defy anybody to find a criminal who knows the penalty for any crime; responsibility is not their strong suit.
The Spring St boffins fail to realise that crooks, no matter how dumb their actions may seem, do not commit a crime if they think they are going to get caught, and that is the only matrix that matters or influences them.
The Allan approach presupposes that crooks gather for a pre-crime meeting to discuss the penalties they may face conducting a SWAT Analysis before deciding what crime to commit – give us a break.
Have they not heard of institutionalisation? A complex issue, but critically, the time factor of the period somebody is held against their will, like jail, will become time-irrelevant very quickly.
Whether a criminal gets four years or six matters little and has no influence on the likelihood of recidivism or on other criminals considering the same behaviour.
The victim may gain some solace, but that’s about it, and the extra jail time just becomes a financial burden on the State, requiring not only more prison beds but all the infrastructure and operating costs associated with the increased time served, and we, the community, including the victims, have to pay for that.
This should be electoral suicide for any Government, particularly given Victoria’s perilous budget deficit.
The only substantial argument for an extended sentencing regime, if it were workable in the Courts, and we argue it is not, is to afford a longer period of protection for the community, which coincidentally costs us all a bomb.
Sentencing must be related to the evidence of the crime put before the Court.
We do, however, strongly believe that Courts have deliberately flaunted the power they possess to act as social engineers instead of sticking to their knitting, dispensing justice, not just for the accused, but the community as a whole.
The answer to the crime tsunami is to provide sufficient police to not only arrest and capture offenders but also to implement a strong, high-visibility deterrence presence to mitigate criminal opportunity.
This, coupled with a serious proactive Force culture, will start to make inroads as soon as it is implemented, and we are confident that the new Chief Commissioner Mike Bush has the capacity, knowledge and skills to drive this change.
Additionally, fortunately, there is still a very high percentage of serving police who would share this view; all they need is to be unshackled from the medieval attitudes the Force has developed under a series of poor leaders.
Long-term sentencing does little to stop crime; however, failure by the courts, which seem reluctant to jail accused offenders, feeds into the adage that ‘crime pays’, and while that exists, there is no hope of a reduction.
We oppose draconian sentencing but support the nuanced use of Prison as a major crime reduction initiative. It matters little the criminals’ age; numerically greater use of the Prison system is what’s required.
Remember, every time an accused at any age walks out after facing Court and being convicted, irrespective of what they may have been sentenced to, or what orders are placed on them, the walking out from court, of itself, is perceived as a win for the crook, and something to brag about, further building confidence in the criminal class that consequences for crime don’t exist.
Even in these austere times, the Government must prioritise the financial support for Policing because unless we have a well-funded and equipped Force pursuing the correct ideals of ‘best practice’ Policing, nothing will change and everybody in this state is mightily aware that they may be the next victim.
As far as the Courts are concerned, the Government would do a whole lot better, rather than making hollow headlines, by focusing on establishing a Judicial Review Panel that has the power to manage Jurists based on performance and effectiveness.
This must be an attractive proposition for a Government that has failed in the Law and Order space; shift blame to the Panel.
The administration of the Court system is inefficient and not fit for purpose, with extraordinary delays denying justice to both Victims and accused. By the time an accused is fully processed by the Courts, many have continued their criminal ways and subjected the community to untold grief – that is Justice denied.
A Justice Panel could identify underperforming and inefficient Jurists, provide guidance, and, if necessary, impose sanctions to ensure the system becomes efficient; establish processing benchmarks; identify flaws in the system; and determine whether the problem lies with the administration or Jurists’ performance.
Similarly, an efficient and professional justice system will reduce crime, equally as well as the support for the Police in bringing perpetrators to the Court system.
by CAA | Nov 24, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
We do not profess to know all the answers, but our life skills have taught us a few worthwhile ones, particularly in the youth space.
Early intervention is a significant priority, but perhaps more important, and effective, is the development of pathways that are productive for young people as they start to mature, rather than having their lives controlled by Government bureaucratic edicts.
The pathways, if managed correctly, should encourage young people to start making constructive choices for themselves. When we say ‘managed,’ we mean the Government generally stepping back and allowing young people space to resolve their own issues.
Although parents have a vital role and a responsibility in encouraging their children to adopt a worthwhile path, they cannot and should not live their lives through their children. It is the child’s life, not the parents.
An article in the Herald Sun on the 23rd of November 25, titled ‘Half of students miss a month of school amid fears it is irrelevant,’ goes a long way to explain what is really happening to our youth.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/education/half-of-students-miss-a-month-of-school
We have been critical of the schools sending children home for misbehaviour, which, in our view, is a major contributor to the development of anti-social and criminal behaviour in our young.
This process is triggered predominantly by minor behavioural infractions and, on occasion, by incidents not the student’s fault.
This send-them-home option is a relatively new concept, as schools in the past have dealt with these minor infractions in-house without abdicating responsibility and leaving students to their own devices. In this context, it is not a contradiction to provide pathways.
There appears to be no effective management of this discipline process, and our information is that when children are sent home, it is problematic whether the parent/s are aware, unless the child informs them.
So much for families with parents who must work to support them and rely on schools to care for their children while they are being educated.
Schools that adopt this approach are abdicating their responsibility and may need a civil case to wake the system up to its failings.
Until the research in this HS article was made public, we have been at a loss to identify just where the problems lay. We know that children are not born with antisocial and criminal tendencies, which are learned behaviours, and it appears now that the research in that article points clearly to the culprit that teaches them – their misdirected education.
It generally boils down to the education we are foisting on our young being irrelevant to the skill sets they see as necessary to run their lives, and they have an excellent argument.
We continually hear from educators that their curriculum is overfull, so they can’t add to it, but that assumes that the curriculum is relevant. Relevance to those for whom the education is being delivered is essential – but, clearly, much of it is not in the eyes of many students.
Removing ideological material that has found its way into the curriculum must be the first action, and then the rest of the curriculum benchmarked against the needs of our youth. That purge must be brutal.
“It just feels like we’re not being taught how to handle our finances properly,” Sarah said. “We’re not being taught how to save, invest, manage our bank accounts or file our taxes. That’s something you’ve really gotta figure out on your own.”
–Sarah, 17 years reflecting on her views when she was 14 years old.
To this point, you may wonder the relevance of this material to our core direction, law and order.
Suppose you are going to teach children irrelevant material, send them home for minor infractions and fail to engage the pupils. In that case, it very quickly becomes a life of boredom and failure for the pupil, and the more bored they become, the more disruptive they are, and more often they are sent home.
Taking time off from school is the go-to solution that the school teaches them.
All this time at home can accumulate very rapidly and lead to increased boredom. Life becomes less relevant, so they seek solutions in very unhelpful ways – crime, self-harm, addictions and inappropriate social interactions become the only way to achieve a sense of fulfilment for them.
UNICEF Australia’s Chief Advocate for Children, Nicole Breeze, said the report paints a stark picture.
“In a country like Australia, we have all the conditions and infrastructure to be the best place in the world for children to grow up,” Ms Breeze said. “It is unacceptable that suicide remains the leading cause of death for young Australians and that we are seeing persistent negative trends.”
What this all adds up to is the need for a ‘root and branch’ overhaul of our education system, and by that we are strongly opposed to a series of talk fests, more research, and academic papers arguing the rights and wrongs of the assertions we make, as the proof positive already exists.
The Report author, Megan O’Connell, from the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, said the landmark report — published in the Herald Sun, developed with UNICEF Australia and supported by the Minderoo Foundation — found an increasing number of kids feel school is not providing them with the skills that they need for their future.
The problem needs to be addressed urgently, as there is no time to waste on procrastination and blame-shifting.
The government must issue an edict for action to Tony Bates, the Secretary of the Department of Education in Victoria, who was appointed in August 2025.
The edict must, without equivocation, direct that this issue must be addressed urgently for two reasons: we can’t afford to have one more child exposed to this failed system, and the responsibility lies at the feet of the Director and any inaction at the feet of the Education Minister.
If the Director can’t or won’t fix it, then he should be replaced, as should any other executive within the Education Department who does not fall into line.
What must be achieved is curriculum variation to remove ideological material and replace it with the skills required by young people. These skills can be life-based or designed to equip them for further education.
In relation to behaviour, the practice of sending young people home must be discontinued without exception, and to achieve a reasonable standard of behaviour, the Police in Schools Program must be urgently reintroduced to help schools address misbehaviour and provide students with a safe school environment and life skills to live harmoniously within the community.
All schools must also be required have and enforce a Code of Conduct.
There can be no excuses for inaction, as these changes will have no impact on the State’s fiscal demise.
Additionally, young people’s ability to join the workforce or further their academic studies must not be hindered by ‘the system’.
Currently, young people cannot enter an apprenticeship until they are aged 16, and if they work before then, they can only do 20 hours a week. From an academic perspective, the schools make students feel that if they can’t excel in academia, then they are a failure.
It is past time for the Government to repeal these rules and move out of the way.
This one-size-fits-all approach is badly flawed, and it should be left to employers to judge the suitability of an applicant, the applicant’s parents, and the child.
Opportunities for young people to re-enter the education system without penalty must be well promoted.
This is particularly true of age-relevant life skills. Young people are better equipped to enter the workforce physically and mentally at a far younger age than when these rules were designed and applied.
Better to be at work learning rather than at school marking time, causing havoc.
Unblocking Pathways is the key.
by CAA | Nov 15, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
The Police Association Secretary Wayne Gatt was reported in the Herald Sun on the 16th of November under the heading ‘Police union boss Wayne Gatt slams 90-day summer operation as ‘brain fart’ amid struggle to fight crime’, which is somewhat of a surprise and disappointing for a respected Union.
Later in the article, Gatt said, “while the union did not in principle oppose the potential of the moves, there were concerns about ‘a lack of detail or thought or planning”.
So what was he on about, accusing the Chief of a ‘Brain Fart’?
That seems like a euphemism for, “Why wasn’t I told?” Obviously, the Union was told so that Gatt was able to relay the Union’s views.
Perhaps this is more about Gatt’s influence fading.
Criticising the Government, Gatt also failed to be aware of the circumstances, such as the reorganisation of resources and the introduction of reservists, which had been devised by the Chief and the Minister, advised. But that may have been more to do with masking his derogatory reference to the Chief.
Gatt may like to explain why putting more people on the street is reckless and what the ‘dependencies’ he is referring to are.
Mr Gatt would be well advised also to start leading and creating innovative ideas on how to reduce the crime rate, rather than promoting “lack of detail or thought or planning”. That, together with his issue of consultations, won’t help the community at all. Bush’s action will help immediately, and that’s what the community wants.
But to the nub of the matter, the allocation of resources is a matter for the Chief Commissioner.
Bush has read the room correctly, and for Gatt to accuse the Chief of a “Brain Fart” is disingenuous and disrespectful to his office; to have Gatt slight him in this manner requires an apology.
The Chief is demonstrating leadership that has been lacking in a string of previous Chief Commissioners, so the Association will have to get used to the idea that the Force now has a leader. And they should treat him with respect.
These initiatives, supported by the CAA, are going to be welcomed by the community, as up until now, and apart from platitudes, every time there is a serious community issue raised about crime, nothing changes in VicPol, and the community has long tired of ‘More patrols’ knowing they may get some. Still, it will be a splash in the pan and not address the real issues they are dealing with.
Bush’s move to more proactive policing is also welcome, as preventing crime must be the primary function of any Police Force and a strategy more likely to be embraced by the community than ‘more police’. Interestingly, those who push the more police mantra rarely give any insight into what that means, what will be achieved and when.
It will literally take years to bring the force up to full strength, so the use of reservists is a very clever move to free additional police to provide the public with a better police service and reduce the crime rate.
Critics of the use of Reservists should read this comment from the CAA Website by a former member who was medically discharged.
“I already volunteer as a Justice Peace at the reception counter of my local 24 HR police station? Other unofficial duties in the absence of sworn uniform members include signing in those reporting on bail, compiling VicPol property forms & taking property over the counter, general police advice, and taking messages for members. You never forget your training & previous knowledge base. I was ESSS Discharged, pensioned out of my job with a spinal injury. Not ready to retire yet, so will happily return as a paid VPS1 or reservist part-time!!”
We are aware of many former members who would like to be considered for involvement in a Reserve program.
There would also be hundreds of former members who left their police careers to raise their families, and when their families grew up, would jump at the chance for a Reservist position.
Their life experiences make them a valuable asset if they can be encouraged to return.
The sad part of this announcement is that where you would expect the Police Association to support the initiative and encourage Reservists to rejoin that organisation, instead, they have all been insulted, being classified as a ‘Brain Fart’ that will be remembered as Gatt’s Gaff.
by CAA | Nov 6, 2025 | Library, Media, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
There is a lot of faux bluster and wringing of hands over the use of the Police Chopper by the Chief Commissioner Mike Bush in recent times, his trip to Tasmania and now a flight from Avalon to the Victoria Police Centre (VPC).
It has now been reported that he allegedly took his wife on a flight and committed the most grievous sin of allegedly laughing about the brouhaha of the Tasmania flight.
In the scheme of things, these issues are nothing but white noise, but there is an underlying sinister overtone.
At worst, the Chiefs’ use of the aircraft could be argued as him having a ‘tin ear’.
The last accusation of using an aircraft to return from Avlon was perhaps expedient, and it matters little whether the Chief was in the back seat of his Car or the helicopter for the return. Both vehicles had to return to Melbourne.
The most serious issue that must attract the greatest focus is the report of the alleged laughing by the Chief Commissioner in a group about the Tasmanian flight.
There could be a million reasons for jocularity, but that of itself is incidental.
What is most egregious is that this was reported to the media, which can only be described as a bona fide undermining of his position.
The other airwing use could have been leaked by any number of people, but this latest alleged reaction could only reasonably have been done by his inner circle, indicating where all the leaks emanated.
It goes to the heart of the solidarity of the Command of VicPol and is very worrying, highlighting the difficulties that exist at that level in the Force.
There is obviously a rat in the ranks.
In an organisation where the average Police member would be hung, drawn and quartered for even a misspoken word to the media or anybody else outside the Force, but those in the upper echelons feel they have the right of free rein to attack the Chief.
The Herald Sun reported:
“Some police staff are understood to be fuming over the undeclared flights, with one describing his wife’s trip as nothing more than “a joy ride”.
“People are really annoyed he has misled them,” a source said.
“He is taking the public, and his staff, for fools … It’s about integrity.”
Sources also claimed that Mr Bush and a few of his colleagues had further upset staff by “laughing about Choppergate” since his apology on October 22.
They added that it was particularly galling at a time when positions were being reviewed as part of a force restructure.
“Everyone is really scared about their jobs,” they said.
To that statement, we add – the ‘Source and some Police staff ‘ ought to grow a backbone and talk to the Chief about their concerns, that would be integrity. But only after the Source has a chat with the psych unit about their insecurities.
Double standards cause poor leadership and management at any level.
The Chief underestimated the nature of the VicPol hierarchy by announcing his intent to streamline the upper command and release many staff and other managers from unnecessary Command Units, returning them to the frontline, where the priority lies.
The NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) principle has been applied by incumbents being forewarned of the austerity target, and somebody or some people in these higher positions are so insecure that they see themselves as being part of the austerity target, so feel the need to discredit the Chief and, in turn, sabotage his intent.
As far as we are concerned, the person or persons responsible for the leaks should be the first to go. Fulfilling their own insecurities. Check their phones.
It makes one wonder whether the use of the Airwing was a decision by the Chief or whether he was receiving advice to set him up for criticism.
Perhaps his biggest failure was to underestimate the narcissism that is created by being part of the VicPol executive command, and that he must now be extremely diligent, as this latest issue may, in fact, be the start of an orchestrated campaign to discredit him.
Most danger will come from those who have worked hard to be close and gain his trust.
Ironically, a trust not reciprocated.
by CAA | Oct 23, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Violence
Recently, the CAA was invited to see the new scanning device for edged weapons being considered for introduction into the Police arsenal.
The ‘Weapon Wand’ is compact, seems easy to use, and comes with a holster for the Police Utility belt. More on that later.
The device is impressive and does not require the operator to bring it into contact with the person being scanned.
When it detects metal, it subtly warns the operator to avoid embarrassing the person scanned with non-target metal objects.
With the high number of edged weapons in the community, particularly circulating amongst youths, this piece of kit is essential.
When they are introduced, the announcement must not quote numbers of units, and nominating specific locations will also be counterproductive to the deterrent effect the existence of the wands may achieve.
The idiocy of advertising geographical locations where the Police had more powers for specific times was the sort of foolish strategy that either showed the designers’ ignorance and incompetence or was deliberately set up to fail.
Perpetrators are generally spontaneous in many of their criminal endeavours, so rigid controls over a police response defy logic. Waiting for a newspaper advertisement to announce a police operation, rather than giving police the flexibility to respond as required, is plain stupid.
The second aspect of these new devices relates to their actual use by the Police.
Over a number of years, based on perceived and some real threats, Police in this State have been continually equipped with paraphernalia allegedly designed to equip them better to do their job or protect themselves and the community.
The reality of Policing is that you cannot eliminate risk; you can only reduce it.
The problem with the overload of equipment that the police must carry has reached the stage where even the fittest police member would start to tire and be less effective from simply carrying all their gear.
The Police utility belt is festooned with equipment, some of it essential, and some that will be highly likely never be used, but has to be carried just in case.
Adding the ‘Weapon Wand’ exacerbates the problem.
Perhaps the Weapon Wand can be assigned to vehicles, not the member, unless they are on specific duty. In that case, pepper spray and O/C spray could be shelved for some members in a foot patrol detail, and the “Weapon Wand” could be assigned to a member.
However, these are operational issues and, following the new Chief Commissioner’s philosophy, the decisions regarding the deployment of these devices must be left to the front-line Supervisor. This is essential so that, as circumstances frequently change in an operation, the supervisor on the ground is best placed to make decisions.
We are advocating that these wands are not necessary for all police, but they are required in sufficient numbers to handle any operation or patrol managed by Section Sergeants.
The Force does not have to go into internal conniptions, writing new and detailed instructions on the parameters of their application and how they are to be deployed, tying up Police executives to prepare, when the best decisions are made at the sharp end.
However, legislation to employ wands without restriction at the discretion of the police is essential.
The Force will have to get used to this approach as the new CCP trims the executive function of the Force, forcing more decisions down where they should be.
by CAA | Oct 22, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
But two swallows can herald a fine summer is near.
Applying Aristotle’s theory to policing may seem odd and even a stretch, but recent events have given strong indications that the winter of discontent with policing in Victoria is drawing nigh, and a good summer looks to be invitingly within reach.
We refer to two recent events indicating that VicPol is quickly implementing change since the appointment of Mike Bush as the new Chief Commissioner.
With apologies to the two members for the analogy used, but it sort of works.
The first incident involved a news conference by Detective Inspector Graham Banks, whose straight-talking, candid comments about Juvenile incidents, including the Cobblebank murders of two young boys by machete-wielding thugs, was a refreshing departure from standard police rhetoric, telling the community the truth without any hint of political or other filters.
The second incident, following the most recent violent demonstrations in Melbourne, was a news conference by Commander Wayne Cheeseman, supported by props collected from the demonstration site, who provided an unsanitised, non-partisan description for all Victorians to absorb.
Telling the truth also contradicted sections of the media that had tried to fudge the actual actions of participants in the violent demonstration, leaving it open for the Advance Australia group, predominantly mums and dads, to be as culpable as the radical left.
His forthright approach left nobody in doubt that they were not responsible for the violence, as they were cooperative with the police throughout their demonstration, and it was the cowardly masked suspected professional protesters who instigated and pursued violence.
These thugs have lost any connection to a specific cause; they only aim to cause chaos.
It is essential to provide the police with the resources needed to handle this rabble, who cast a negative pall over any Victorian or group of Victorians wishing to express their views through a demonstration. We all should feel free to speak our minds without being lumped in with the rabble of the extreme left, better described as Anarchists.
One of the tools that would give the police the edge and reduce the dangers to police members and the community from improvised weapons that the anarchists use is to supply VicPol with a water cannon.
VicPol has a duty of care to all its members to ensure they are equipped to deal with issues that confront them in performing their duty.
Minimising the risk of incurring harm while performing that duty must be a given.
We have recently written on the difficulties that some police have encountered in trying to gain compensation for injuries suffered, with a number of legal decisions going against the members.
There is no doubt that equipping Victoria Police with suitable water cannon vehicles, ideal for crowd control, will cost, but the cost will be well offset by a reduction in Workcover claims caused by this duty.
We will also see a marked reduction in violence at demonstrations when the troublemakers know they are certain to be hosed down.
However, the Premier has now announced that the Government is pursuing face-covering legislation to combat the surge in violent acts.
Talk about underwhelming.
Since when does making the wearing of facemasks illegal stop scum from throwing rocks and other missiles at police?
This approach by the Government flies in the face of what the new Chief Commissioner is trying to change.
The Force’s direction, from one that’s focused on arresting perpetrators as the first line of defence, to a more effective method, which we support, is to stop crime in the first place.
An enlightened Chief Commissioner knows that arrests may seem effective, but it is the Courts’ handling of the criminal that makes the difference, and at this stage, penalties imposed are manifestly inadequate, hence the escalating crime rates and lawlessness.
The legal system isn’t effective, so the effort to reduce crime by prevention is and should be a no-brainer, as the new Chief espouses.
A force that prioritises compliance through measures like water cannons, primarily to be used as a deterrent, but if compliance is not achieved, to prevent the situation from getting totally out of hand, without injuring not only the police but also innocent members of the community who might accidentally get caught up in a confrontation, is on the right track.
The current strategy has no fail-safe approach should the anarchists raise their level of aggression.
The stress level of the Police will be substantially reduced if the big brother standing behind them has the power of a water cannon.
If you were in their shoes, you would feel the same anxieties and sometimes fear that the Police feel when confronted by the anarchist types they are currently dealing with.
The problem is that these particular lowlifes use any means to inflict injuries on police, and the unpredictability as to what weapons they employ increases the negative pressure on the police members, a deliberate tool in their arsenal.
That anxiety can escalate to become a debilitating consequence, so all Victorians are obliged to take whatever action is necessary to provide police with the ability to reduce their risk factors, and that is where Water Cannons are so important.
The basic approach to the use of these tools by the Police would require legislation to protect the members and the Force from litigation arising out of their use.
Proper use in conjunction with a permit system for demonstrations mirroring the highly successful New South Wales model would ensure permit compliance and where the permit is breached, the capacity to douse miscreants with a spray would generally reduce violent demonstrators resolve; however, if that fails, the cannons can be used to physically remove people from their intended path without exposing members to undue physical or psychological damage.
Simply making masks unlawful is not a great help, only assisting with identifying perpetrators post-event – we want the action pre-event to avoid Police being tied up pursuing offences which may attract only minimal sanctions – police have more important things to do like protecting us from machete attack.
by CAA | Oct 16, 2025 | Industrial Action, Library, Media, Politics, PTSD, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
Herald Sun, October 15, 2025.
“In a move that has sent shockwaves through the Force, lawyers have successfully argued against any State liability because police officers are sworn officers, not employees.
The argument has been upheld in a number of recent decisions in the County Court that have prompted calls for the Allan government to urgently reform existing legislation that has become a barrier to claims by psychologically injured officers.”
In knocking out the claim, the County Court held that there was no basis for the imposition of a duty of care in favour of the officer.”
Resulting from this legal decision, the indemnity of the State from liability to compensate police injured on duty or who later suffer from PTSI is deplorable. The issue of vicarious liability was also discussed, but faced the same fate for the Police.
“The issue of vicarious liability being owed to injured officers has drawn comparisons by the court to a recent High Court decision, known as Bird v DP, that held that institutions could not be held liable for sexual abuse if an offending priest or member of an institution was not in an employment relationship.”- HS
All of these legal manoeuvres to avoid liability by the government have not been happening behind closed doors, or in a vacuum, so the Government must have been aware of what was being foisted on the Police, and, for that matter, every other sworn person employed or otherwise in the State who are not covered by specific legislation.
Which brings us straight to the Premier, who surely would have been briefed on the risks of these legal findings posed.
Having considered the risk, I wonder if the Premier will be bothered to walk outside and have a friendly chat with her own personal security detail.
The conversation might be along the lines of;
“Hi, guys. You may have read about the court’s finding that you are not covered, should you take a bullet for me? The mental anguish is not covered, but rest assured, we will do something about it at some time.”
“You can at least take heart that should the unthinkable happen and you make the ultimate sacrifice, I will very much appreciate it, and your family has your super, and we promise to leave that alone (at this stage), apart from taxes”.
The State does not owe you a duty of care, but I care; No, I mean I really, really, really do care, believe me, now back to work”.
Equally inane in this legal debacle is that the Judiciary also relies on the police for their safety. Although for obvious security reasons it is not public knowledge, there is no doubt that in certain high-risk proceedings, the jurists are provided with close personal security. We wonder how those Police feel now.
It was also reported in the same article that;
“Australian Lawyers Alliance Victorian President, Susan Accary, on Wednesday called for urgent reforms”.
“Recent court decisions that have allowed Victoria Police to avoid responsibility for injuries to police officers do not reflect the general understanding of the employment relationship between the police force and its officers,” she said”.
“Police officers are employed by the state and are engaged in critical, dangerous and sometimes, traumatic, work.”
“It is unfortunate that the law as it currently stands allows the state to avoid their obligations to their officers.
“Police officers, who often work in a high-risk environment for the benefit of the community, should be able to rely on the state to provide them with the support they need if they are injured at work.”
The risk of more police industrial action is real, as no police member would want to or should be forced to go to work without protection, so it is somewhat interesting that the Police Association is not pursuing a mass walkout of Police.
It is ironic that the last Police strike in 1923 occurred just before the Spring Racing Carnival. The Victoria Police force at the time was understaffed, poorly paid compared to other State police forces, and lacked an industry pension. Although the Police now have Superannuation, the rest of the similarities have a certain Déjà Vu ring.
To follow the illogical legal argument proffered in the courts, the relationship between any sworn person and their employer is a relationship without a ‘duty of care’.
The list of people who are now exposed is extensive, but not limited to,
Clergy, Municipal Office bearers (Mayors), all politicians, the Governor, all Judges and other jurists, even your local scout master, in fact, anybody that takes an oath as part of their employment, paid or otherwise, would seem to immediately exclude their employer from any ‘duty of care’.
If this logic is followed, the employee ceases to be an employee in the usual sense of the word, making it equally outrageous.
This could only happen in Victoria.
by CAA | Oct 11, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
It was reported in the Herald Sun on the 6th of October 2025 that “Magistrate Carolyn Burnside late last month warned corrections officials and police they were ‘in contempt of court’, effectively for not bringing a prisoner to court, in defiance of a ‘jail order’ requiring them to do so.
It would seem that in making an internal political administrative point, it is acceptable to publicly disregard evidence and ignore community safety issues, which the magistrate has failed to consider.
Once under the control of Corrections, it is their task to convey prisoners to courts, not the job of the police.
The Prisoner, a lifetime heroin addict, was tossed out on the street by the magistrate, trying to make an internal point over the inconvenience to her Court.
With the judicious use of technology, prisoners would not be required to attend court for procedural matters or, for that matter, their Trial.
While the vast majority of us have a great deal of admiration and respect for Judges, Magistrates and other jurists, our collective community attitude and trust in the court system is severely damaged by intemperate comments from a member of the bench who is obviously an outlier.
It is an absolute disgrace that a Prisoner who has not been found guilty of any offence, only charged, must wait so long to have his matter resolved.
Ms Burnside apparently invited prisoners to start applying for bail and said she would find it a “very attractive” proposition to release them.
Without considering the consequences of each case, this pronouncement is tantamount to contempt of all the courts that have refused bail for prisoners.
These prisoners she refers to are not your Sunday School types, but generally the worst of the worst, an unacceptable risk.
The Government must take action to ensure this Magistrate does not implement her threat, so we do not have at-risk prisoners free to roam and commit other crimes.
by CAA | Oct 7, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
The current imbroglio of the impact of youth and other criminals has the community firmly pointing the finger at the Courts, highlighted by the recent granting of bail to a recidivist offender to go on an overseas holiday.
The reality is that in a democracy, the government of the day must respond to community concerns about lenient sentencing and the manipulation of bail laws by Courts, or face electoral consequences.
Although they might not want to, the Government has to respond positively or face the backlash, which means more than just ‘tightening’, a euphemism for, fiddling around the edges, to fix the legal system failures and then exercising the dark art of trying to convince the electorate they are doing something and hoping to get away with spin instead of adequately addressing the problem.
We wonder if it’s the role of the Government to fix the issue or whether the Courts themselves should be held accountable for the current malaise.
It is perhaps time that the administrators of Justice in this State take responsibility and take some action to ensure continuity in proper jurisprudence.
If the administrators do not take decisive action, the government will inevitably be compelled to intervene, which will further erode the independence of the judges.
The Magistrate responsible for allowing a recidivist to continue on bail so he could travel overseas on a family holiday, irrespective of what excuse can be conjured up, is outrageous and totally unacceptable, reinforcing in the mind of the child that his offending is not serious. He goes on an overseas holiday while the victims are left to stew in their damaged emotions.
The family would have had to cancel the trip if their son had been bailed – there was always a simple and obvious option for the Magistrate – refuse bail, problem solved.
The bureaucracy of the Court administration is culpable for not immediately transferring this Magistrate to an administrative position; that action would send a message to all members of the bench.
As jurists make more inappropriate decisions, the only ones hitting the headlines are the most outrageous. However, every day, poor choices that work against the law’s objective of maintaining community safety are flaunted mercilessly by unaccountable jurists. And we wonder why crime is escalating?
Their independence will be further eroded as the public demands that the government take action, and that action will, by necessity, restrict jurists’ independence even further.
We are not convinced that it is necessarily a good thing, in the long term, because it won’t address poor oversight, training, and management of the judiciary.
The jurists must learn to ‘read the room’ and listen to the community or face the consequences.
The second and equally important issue that Court administrators face is the inordinate delay in bringing miscreants to court to be held to account for their behaviour. ‘Justice delayed is justice denied, ’ an ancient legal maxim attributed to William Ewart Gladstone, circa 1868, is regularly ignored by Victorian Courts.
Whether it is poor administration of Court lists, poor performance and failure to meet KPI’s by Jurists, delaying or exacerbating proceedings, or they are overloaded, the latter an administrative failing, we don’t know, but what we do know is the Courts have focused entirely on the perpetrator, and that is not the absolute role of the Courts.
Continually overlooked in the legal process is the impact of Court decisions and delays on the sector of the community that is the INNOCENT; the victims, a cohort to proceedings continually overlooked by the Courts.
The victims not only have to suffer the financial and or physical consequences of a crime, but, to rub salt into the wound, many of which are very deep, they also suffer the indignity of not being considered appropriately in the court process, with their convenience not a consideration.
We never hear of a Court rejecting a procedural delay in proceedings, such as a bail application, due to the unfair impact on a victim, which would drag the case out and penalise the victim further.
The Courts are guilty of facilitating these delays and punishing the victims.
The failure of courts to ensure reparation for victims, whether the perpetrator has the capacity to provide reparation to the victim or not, should not be a court consideration.
The level of reparation should be based entirely on the facts of the case and be commensurate with the damage done. The recovery of the reparation should be referred to the Sheriff for action. If an offender is unable to pay and has that debt hanging over their head, they might think twice before committing further crimes, which is an effective deterrent.
It is well past time that a Royal Commission be established to examine the Courts’ processes, the accountability and application of the law by Judges, and critically, the treatment of victims.
by CAA | Sep 21, 2025 | Illicit Drugs, Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
CAA Comment
We live in hope that in this country we will not stoop to such ridiculous levels to justify criminal behaviour.
There is no sound justification for allowing Drug users to be part of the solution when they are the problem. It’s like handing over the problem of alcoholism to alcoholics. A free grog policy is inevitable.
These hair-brained strategies are often argued to be a solution, perhaps a solution like solving the speeding problem by eliminating speed limits, solving shop stealing by legalising the removal of items from a shop, the list goes on.
The endgame is a complete breakdown of law and order, chaos in all our lives.
Having users and addicts designing and implementing drug policy can never succeed, especially when those groups are in denial. Ask any drug addict or alcoholic if they are addicted, and the answer is, by and large, emphatically, “No, I could give it up at any time”.
What is often overlooked in the entire drug addiction debate is the real victims of this vile trade—not the addicts themselves, but their families and all the innocent people affected by the crimes committed to sustain their addiction. All the resources spent on their self-inflicted dependency and treatment come at our expense. Yet, that is never acknowledged by the progressive “harm reduction” advocates, who seem hell-bent on normalising the behaviour and creating a society based on a Drug nirvana, all while they are high on the drugs they are supposed to manage.
Instead of the harm reduction approach, drug use or addiction must be excluded as a mitigating factor in criminal prosecutions and sentencing, with a focus on the offence and the perpetrators’ culpability.
The bottom line is that very few of the many thousands of addicts were forced to take the drugs they became addicted to. Equally, they never sought help, but addicts taking responsibility is very rare indeed.
Canada’s policy of deferring to the “leadership” of drug users has proved predictably disastrous. The United States (and Australia) should take heed.
Progressive “harm reduction” advocates have insisted for decades that active users should take a central role in crafting drug policy. While this belief is profoundly reckless—akin to letting drunk drivers set traffic laws—it is now entrenched in many left-leaning jurisdictions. The harms and absurdities of the position cannot be understated.
While the harm-reduction movement is best known for championing public-health interventions that supposedly minimise the negative effects of drug use, it also has a “social justice” component. In this context, harm reduction tries to redefine addicts as a persecuted minority and illicit drug use as a human right.
This campaign traces its roots to the 1980s and early 1990s, when “queer” activists, desperate to reduce the spread of HIV, began operating underground needle exchanges to curb infections among drug users. These exchanges and similar efforts allowed some more extreme LGBTQ groups to form close bonds with addicts and drug-reform advocates. Together, they normalised the concept of harm reduction, such that, within a few years, needle exchanges would become officially sanctioned public-health interventions.
The alliance between these more radical gay rights advocates and harm-reduction proponents proved enduring. Drug addiction remained linked to HIV, and both groups shared a deep hostility to the police, capitalism, and society’s “moralising” forces.
In the 1990s, harm-reduction proponents imitated the LGBTQ community’s advocacy tactics. They realised that addicts would have greater political capital if they were considered a persecuted minority group, which could legitimise their demands for extensive accommodations and legal protections under human rights laws. Harm reductionists thus argued that addiction was a kind of disability, and that, like the disabled, active users were victims of social exclusion who should be given a leading role in crafting drug policy.
These arguments were not entirely specious. Addiction can reasonably be considered a mental and physical disability because illicit drugs hijack users’ brains and bodies. But being disabled doesn’t necessarily mean that one is part of a persecuted group, much less that one should be given control over public policy.
More fundamentally, advocates were wrong to argue that the stigma associated with drug addiction was senseless persecution. In fact, it was a reasonable response to anti-social behaviour. Drug addiction severely impairs a person’s judgment, often making him a threat to himself and others. Someone who is constantly high and must rob others to fuel his habit is a self-evident danger to society.
Despite these obvious pitfalls, portraying drug addicts as a persecuted minority group became increasingly popular in the 2000s, thanks to several North American AIDS organisations that pivoted to addiction work after the HIV epidemic subsided.
In 2005, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network published a report titled “Nothing about us without us.” (The nonprofit joined other groups in publishing an international version in 2008.) The 2005 report included a “manifesto” written by Canadian drug users, who complained that they were “among the most vilified and demonised groups in society” and demanded that policymakers respect their “expertise and professionalism in addressing drug use.”
The international report argued that addiction qualified as a disability under international human rights treaties, and called on governments to “enact anti-discrimination or protective laws to reduce human rights violations based on dependence to drugs.” It further advised that drug users be heavily involved in addiction-related policy and decision-making bodies; that addict-led organisations be established and amply funded; and that “community-based organisations. . . increase involvement of people who use drugs at all levels of the organisation.”
While the international report suggested that addicts could serve as effective policymakers, it also presented them as incapable of basic professionalism. In a list of “dos and don’ts,” the authors counselled potential employers to pay addicts in cash and not to pass judgment if the money was spent on drugs.
They also encouraged policymakers to hold meetings “in a low-key setting or in a setting where users already hang out,” and to avoid scheduling meetings at “9 a.m., or on welfare cheque issue day.” In cases where addicts must travel for policy-related work, the report recommended policymakers provide “access to sterile injecting equipment” and “advice from a local person who uses drugs.”
The international report further asserted that if an organisation’s employees—even those who are former drug users—were bothered by the presence of addicts, then management should refer those employees to counselling at the organisation’s expense. “Under no circumstances should [drug addicts] be reprimanded, singled out or made to feel responsible in any way for the triggering responses of others,” stressed the authors.
Reflecting the document’s general hostility to recovery, the international report emphasized that former drug addicts “can never replace involvement of active users” in public policy work, because people in recovery “may be somewhat disconnected from the community they seek to represent, may have other priorities than active users, may sometimes even have different and conflicting agenda, and may find it difficult to be around people who currently use drugs.”
The messaging in these reports proved highly influential throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
In Canada, federal and provincial human rights legislation expanded to protect active addicts on the basis of disability. Reformers in the United States mirrored Canadian activists’ appeals to addicts’ “lived experience,” albeit with less success. For now, American anti-discrimination protections only extend to people who have a history of addiction but who are not actively using drugs.
The harm reduction movement reached its zenith in the early 2020s, after the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world and instigated a global spike in addiction. During this period, North American drug-reform activists again promoted the importance of treating addicts like public-health experts.
Canada was at the forefront of this push. For example, the Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs released its “Hear Us, See Us, Respect Us” report in 2021, which recommended that organisations “deliberately choose to normalise the culture of drug use” and pay addicts $25-50 per hour.
The authors stressed that employers should pay addicts “under the table” in cash to avoid jeopardising access to government benefits.
These ideas had a profound impact on Canadian drug policy. Throughout the country, public health officials pushed for radical pro-drug experiments, including giving away free heroin-strength opioids without supervision, simply because addicts told researchers that doing so would be helpful.
In 2024, British Columbia’s top doctor even called for the legalisation of all illicit drugs (“non-medical safer supply”) primarily on the basis of addict testimonials, with almost no other supporting evidence.
For Canadian policymakers, deferring to the “lived experiences” and “leadership” of drug users meant giving addicts almost everything they asked for. The results were predictably disastrous: crime, public disorder, overdoses, and program fraud skyrocketed. Things have been less dire in the United States, where the harm reduction movement is much weaker.
But Americans(and Australians) should be vigilant and ensure that this ideology does not flower in their own backyard.
by CAA | Aug 17, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
As the CAA prepares for a meeting with the new Chief Commissioner, we ponder the circumstances that the Force now finds itself in.
As we reflect on the machinations that led to the appointment of Mr Bush, we cannot help but be concerned for the future of Policing in this State.
Without negative inflection on the current or former Chief Commissioner, the process, however, leads to some very grave concerns.
According to the Government, Shane Patton was removed because of a vote of no confidence by the membership.
Now, four Victorian Chief Commissioners of Police have faced votes of no confidence by police members, a worrying trend:
Jackson faced a vote of no confidence during his tenure, but remained in the role until his retirement. The specific reasons for the ballot are less documented, but it did not result in his removal.
Like Jackson, Miller also faced a no-confidence vote but survived it and continued to serve until the end of his term.
Although Kel Glare faced a Vote of no confidence during his tenure as Chief Commissioner, the vote was defeated.
In early 2025, 87% of the 14,571 Police Association members who voted expressed no confidence in Patton’s leadership. The vote was primarily driven by dissatisfaction over a prolonged pay dispute, staffing shortages, and rising crime rates.
Amongst those Chiefs that faced off with the membership, organised by the Police Association, Miller was arguably one of the longest serving Chiefs in recent history.
The no-confidence vote in Patton was driven by:
- A prolonged and unresolved pay dispute between the Police Association and the State Government, which had led to multiple stop-work actions and dissatisfaction among officers. ( A Government-controlled issue.)
- Concerns over leadership and morale, with police members feeling unsupported and frustrated by systemic issues such as resource shortages and repeat offending. (The repeat offending is primarily driven by the Courts and the Government’s lack of decisive legislative action.)
- Political pressure, with some Opposition figures suggesting Patton was used as a scapegoat for broader government failures in law and order, cannot be dismissed. (A not unreasonable assumption given the woeful efforts of the Government to provide a strong legislative base for effective policing.)
In each of these challenges, we would argue that although the number of members voting was substantial, the police members were led by the Bears within the organisation.
Now we have a new Chief Commissioner, Mike Bush, whom we hope will provide the leadership and direction that VicPol and the State so desperately need.
But our most significant concern is the precedent that the Government has established by sacking a Chief Commissioner on what seem to be spurious political grounds.
When analysing the causes of the Police discontent, the Government has not addressed the problems but kicked the can down the road, and members are no better off today than when they rose to challenge Patton.
All that effort for a sum-zero game.
And what is more alarming is that there does not appear to be any action on the horizon to address the members’ concerns.
It should be noted that Patton was not sacked for the unsatisfactory crime rates, or the burgeoning crime and the juvenile crime surge. The lack of safety the community experiences or the Road toll.
Neither was he sacked for the lack of prosecutions of those, particularly of high rank, who allegedly committed criminal acts surrounding the Gobbo Affair, which has left a sour taste with all former and serving Police officers of good character, a significant factor in Police disquiet.
He was, however, sacked because the Rank-and-File lost confidence, so it was their fault he was sacked, not the Government.
Now, where does that leave Mr Bush and other Chief Commissioners following him?
The Police Association now has a weapon to use against the Government, expecting any further votes of no confidence will see the sacking of the incumbent Chief Commissioner, and/or the Police leadership. It all comes down to whether the Bulls or the Bears hold sway within the Police Association Executive.
It is also concerning that this action by the Government opens the door for other industrial action of a similar nature by other Emergency Services at a minimum.
With their current action, the Government has substantially reduced their bargaining position and depleted the authority of the Chief Commissioner, which is likely to create more industrial friction rather than settle the disquiet.
You can bet that now, every time the Association comes to loggerheads with the Government or the Chief Commissioner, the threat of a vote of no confidence will be writ large.
We can foresee troubling times ahead, and ultimately, the concerns of the members that precipitated this vote will be left unaddressed; the Government will simply appoint a new Chief Commissioner.
To outsmart the poor treatment of Police members, the smart move will be for the Bears and the Bulls to support the New Chief.
A successful Chief, in the main areas of public concern, is far less vulnerable to the machinations of any Government. It empowers the Chief into a stronger negotiating position with the Government, to the benefit of all members and the community.
Let’s hope that sanity within the ranks prevails.
by CAA | Jul 29, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
While this headline may confuse some who are not culturally literate, the meaning relates to fairness, and the colloquialism highlights what we should be offering our new Chief Commissioner: support.
After his appointment was announced, the reactions from many within Policing and those external to the genre were mixed. Generally, they came down in favour of the Force having an opportunity to reset with a leader not restricted by harmful biases, a new broom.
Mike Bush was appointed Chief Commissioner of the Victoria Police on the 27th of July 2025. He had previously served as the Commissioner of Police in New Zealand.
He has been in the chair 29 days, and rumblings of discontent are spreading both within and outside the Force.
These rumblings are grossly unfair and misguided in light of the realities of being Chief.
We have no idea of the knowledge of this State or its police force, the new Chief possesses, but it must be understandably limited, not only professionally but culturally (hence the title of this piece may need interpretation for him). It is a huge leap to lead one of the largest police forces in this country.
Just establishing who he can trust within the organisation is a huge and critical function.
Since he was appointed, even with all his personal adjustments, moving to a new country, albeit just across the ditch, the new chief has hit the role at full pace. He really hasn’t had a chance to unpack his bags.
His other major challenge is the culture at VicPol. We have been accustomed to Chief Commissioners being appointed from within Australia. Christine Nixon, who came from New South Wales, went on to attack the force’s culture with very mixed results. Two others came from the Australian Federal Police with little or no community policing experience.
The folly of appointing an outsider is always fraught with difficulty, and it is far too soon to cast comparisons of the new chief, although early signs are encouraging.
Much of the criticism has been about his lack of media appearances, something those same critics conversely levelled at several recent Chiefs who were employed as nodding heads behind political leaders, designed to show the citizens that politicians are in charge, effectively overriding the Force’s operational independence and demonstrating its subservience to the political masters.
Appearances are everything.
Moreover, the use of police chiefs in this way is akin to the school yard bully who always arranged to have the biggest and strongest kid behind them in any confrontation as a backstop to project power and control.
Our view is that if the politicians want to front the media, that’s their prerogative, but please, do away with the “Noddies”.
It is often said that the most dangerous place to be is between a media camera and a politician; they will bowl you over (physically and metaphorically).
However, the idea of joint press conferences must be abolished.
If the situation requires the Chief Commissioner or the Force members more broadly to address the community, they should hold their own press conference.
To all the current critics, rather than criticising the Chief, you might be better off asking where the rest of the Command is?
They are conspicuously absent, with a rare exception, from the media, suggesting an interesting dynamic.
Rather than supporting their New Chief and ‘cutting him a break’, they are ‘keeping their heads below the parapet’, and for many of them, a very wise move, albeit the parapet will not protect their performance or lack of it, but rather than worrying about their careers, they should be worrying about the Force and support the new CCP.
The core of the issue, according to the critics, is just what this new Chief has been doing in his 29 days.
He has been visiting Stations and workplaces, talking with members to gain an understanding of the status quo and identify their issues. He has also been meeting individually with all the Force’s senior personnel, both sworn and unsworn, and there are a lot of them numerically, a major problem with VicPol.
He has familiarised himself with all the major Police complexes. He has attended a police funeral and attended the scenes of a number of major incidents during this period.
On some of these, he has attended in plain clothes so as not to be seen to be taking over, but to observe and support.
By any measure, he has been doing what a new Chief Commissioner should be doing, and there should be no argument that what he is doing is what is expected of him.
Speak to any former Chief Commissioner, and even those promoted internally, and they will tell you it takes 3-4 months to get a good grip on the organisation from the perspective of the Chief Commissioner role. Furthermore, if you talk to any of the former Victoria Police who were fortunate enough to lead other Police Forces in Australia, the bedding-in period was more like 4-6 months.
For the good of this State and the Force, premature criticism is ill-placed.
Let’s give this guy a ‘fair suck of the sav’, there will be plenty of time to throw bouquets or bricks at his performance going forward.
Let us all get behind him and give him ‘a fair go’, that is the Aussie way.
by CAA | Jul 23, 2025 | Library, Politics, Uncategorized, Victoria Police Issues
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Reported in The Herald Sun on 23 July under the headline, ‘Magistrate hits out at youth crime, etc,’ a 14-year-old boy appeared before a Children’s Court charged with serious offences, including assaulting an innocent victim with a machete and nearly severing his hand.
The hearing related to a bail application by the offender.The youth had previously been charged with 400 offences, most of which were wiped by the Court.
Magistrate – “This is exactly what the government has asked to stop. And what happens? It happens again. How do I have any comfort that a bladed weapon is not to be produced again?”
Lawyer – “Doesn’t have a history? I’ll tell you what, that knife came out with experience”. (meaning obscure)
Magistrate – “The government has an apparent position as to knife crime, and if people don’t understand it, they are not reading the papers or not understanding what politics is.”
The crux of the issue is the apparent disconnect between the judiciary and the reality of the perpetrators they are required to adjudicate.
If the Government wants to communicate a message, it is no good telling those who are not involved other than as Victims.
They should explore ways to inform young potential perpetrators, perhaps through social media platforms they follow and understand. Billboards in Shopping centres or other places where young people gather would be another useful start.
If a Magistrate believes that a 14-year-old has the slightest idea of a Government position on knife crime or the likelihood they read the papers, then woe betide the future of our justice system.
A 14-year-old is still a child, and that’s why they appear before a Children’s Court. It is an indictment of the judiciary that the Court has a poor understanding of the people it deals with.
The Magistrate has some redemption in refusing Bail for a particularly gruesome crime. However, the lack of understanding of the psychology of the youth appearing before the Court needs urgent adjustment.
Equally or more significant to the failure of our legal system, especially regarding children, is that this child appeared before the Court as a first offender. While that may be true, it is unlikely that he is.
Under the new age restrictions allowing Doli Incapax to be more widely used, the child may have committed substantial crimes of which the Court is never made aware.
It may be the first time he has appeared in Court, but there is every possibility this is not his first offence.
The practice of withholding from the judiciary the history of whether a child has previously committed offences or received an Official Police caution is a disgrace. It restricts the judiciary’s ability to understand the proper development and behaviour of a juvenile, effectively keeping them in the dark.
This is also true of the application of the Doli Incapax rule, where a child cannot be charged, although the crime may be as severe or as serious that they would appear before a court once they turn 14.
It is up to the judiciary to decide how much weight to give a police caution, but whether a child has never received one or has received multiple cautions, especially considering the type of offences involved, should be a mandatory consideration.
What has been lost in all the recent changes in the legal status of children has been not only the impact on victims not seeing justice done, but, as necessary, the Justice for the children.
Arbitrary ages applied to children don’t work. What changes in a child between 13 years and 11 months and 14 years old, where they can be charged; nothing.
The major flaw with the current approach is that early intervention, the most likely intervention to succeed, is blocked. Why does a child who commits offences not be held to account at any age? It is the penalty where adjustments are made.
This young serial offender was excused for committing almost four hundred crimes under the Doli Incapax rule, despite having been bailed fifty times. For Doli Incapax to apply, the offender should not know that what he was doing was wrong. After so many court appearances and instances of bail, how could the rule have applied in this case and on this scale? Surely a miscarriage of justice to all his victims.
The application of Doli Incapax should be the purview of the Courts. The police should be enabled to charge any person, irrespective of age, with crimes they have committed, and the Court can decide whether Doli incapax applies, by considering evidence on the issue, not an arbitrary age one-size-fits-all approach.
Taking no action is equivalent to accepting the behaviour, and the outcome is likely to lead to more criminal behaviour.
Why are our children blocked from benefiting from early intervention?
It is past time for a realistic and practical approach to be applied to juvenile crime in this State.
Our history demonstrates we are woeful at dealing with the issue, and thousands of children’s lives are ruined by inaction, with thousands of victims left behind.
Moreover, the judiciary must be exposed to the realities of life, as they often appear to live in a bubble devoid of practical knowledge and the wisdom that comes with that exposure.
by CAA | Jun 30, 2025 | Current, Drunk, Investigations, Library, Media, Police in Schools, Police Veterans in Schools, Politics, Road Safety, Safe Injecting Rooms, Victoria Police Issues
PLAN 100.4 – 2025 – Summary
The document outlines the Community Advocacy Alliance’s strategic plan for improving service delivery and addressing law enforcement issues within Victoria Police by 2025.
Leadership and Accountability in Victoria Police
The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) emphasises the need for improved leadership and accountability within Victoria Police to restore public trust and enhance service delivery. The current structure is criticised for being bloated and ineffective, with senior officers often avoiding accountability for their actions.
- The CAA has submitted multiple plans since 2018 to address law and order issues in Victoria.
- Senior police officers have been allowed to evade accountability despite evidence of misconduct.
- The organisation suffers from poor command decision-making and a culture of disrespect for the law.
- A significant reduction in executive ranks (30-40%) is proposed to streamline operations and improve accountability.
- Decision-making should occur at the lowest possible level to enhance responsiveness and effectiveness.
Service Delivery as a Priority
Service delivery has been identified as the most urgent issue facing Victoria Police, with a significant deficit in understanding and execution over the past decade. The CAA argues that efficiency should not overshadow the importance of effective service delivery.
- Service delivery has deteriorated, with little evidence of improvement in the last ten years.
- Senior officers often confuse service efficiency with service delivery, leading to ineffective strategies.
- Initiatives to improve efficiency have often compromised service delivery, creating a “them and us” mentality.
- The effectiveness of policing is directly related to its relationship with the community it serves.
Measuring and Improving Service Delivery
The CAA proposes several strategies to measure and enhance service delivery, emphasising the need for modern, qualitative measurement techniques. Feedback from the community is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of services.
- Implement modern qualitative measuring techniques for service delivery.
- Establish a feedback line for the public to report their experiences with police services.
- Set benchmarks for response times to ensure accountability in dispatch and arrival.
- Extend the emergency activity map to include police incidents for better community awareness.
- Introduce a protocol for phone contact to ensure professionalism and accountability.
Structural Reforms for Effective Policing
The CAA recommends significant structural reforms within the Victoria Police to address inefficiencies and enhance service delivery. This includes reducing the number of executive positions and reintroducing intermediate ranks.
- The current executive structure is bloated, with a 16% increase in Deputy Commissioners since 2019.
- A reduction of 30-40% in executive ranks is recommended to improve decision-making and accountability.
- Reintroducing ranks like Chief Superintendent and Chief Inspector can enhance local decision-making.
- The promotion process should be competency-based to eliminate nepotism and improve morale.
Cultural Change and Community Engagement
A positive organisational culture is essential for effective policing, and the CAA highlights the need for cultural reforms to rebuild trust and respect within the community. Engaging with retired members and honouring fallen officers can strengthen this culture.
- The culture of Victoria Police has declined, leading to issues like media leaks and mistrust.
- On-the-spot discipline notices can address minor infractions and improve accountability.
- Engaging retired members can provide valuable insights and foster respect within the organisation.
- Building a culture of respect and professionalism starts with the police uniform and leadership example.
Addressing Mental Health and Well-being
The CAA emphasises the importance of addressing mental health issues within the police force, particularly regarding the impact of disciplinary actions and investigations on officers’ well-being.
- Research is needed to explore the correlation between investigation techniques and PTSD among officers.
- Every member subject to disciplinary action should have an independent advocate to ensure fair treatment.
- The culture of respect and support must be reinforced to prevent adverse mental health outcomes for officers.
Recruitment and Selection Process Improvements
The recruitment process for the Victoria Police must prioritise both mental and physical robustness to ensure that candidates can handle the demands of policing. A multi-level probation system and careful assessment of applicants’ suitability are essential to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the force.
- Recruits should be assessed for mental and physical fitness to perform police duties.
- A multi-level probation period of four years is proposed to ensure ongoing evaluation of recruits.
- Non-performing members should be offered transfers to alternative roles rather than remaining in policing.
- Emphasis on character and resilience in candidates to prevent PTSD and ensure operational readiness.
Enhancing Foot Patrol Effectiveness
Foot patrols are a critical aspect of community policing that requires improved training and situational awareness among officers. The proper execution of foot patrols can enhance public safety and foster better community relations.
- Officers should patrol independently to maintain situational awareness and reduce risks.
- Engaging with the community through eye contact and acknowledgment builds trust and confidence.
- Current foot patrol practices often lack focus, with officers distracted by conversations or mobile devices.
Leveraging Technology for Policing
The integration of advanced technology, such as AI and GPS, can significantly enhance policing efficiency and effectiveness. However, it is crucial to implement these technologies thoughtfully to avoid potential risks.
- AI-driven facial recognition and CCTV can provide real-time information on suspects.
- The G-Tag initiative aims to reduce car theft and enhance community safety by allowing police to disable stolen vehicles.
- GPS technology should be managed to prevent misuse by criminals.
- Mobile technology must be standardised for all officers to improve communication and documentation.
Management and Operational Efficiency
Improving management practices within Victoria Police is essential for enhancing operational efficiency and accountability. A focus on performance metrics and resource allocation can lead to better service delivery.
- Backfill police stations to authorized personnel levels to ensure adequate staffing.
- Downgrade the influence of statistics in decision-making, allowing commanders to focus on operational needs.
- Implement bi-weekly progress reports for commanders to track performance against KPIs.
- Establish a Reserve Unit to manage underperforming members and maintain operational readiness.
Youth Engagement and Community Programs
Strengthening youth engagement initiatives is vital for fostering positive relationships between police and young people. Programs like “Police in Schools” can have a significant impact on youth behaviour and community safety.
- Introduce a dedicated Youth Command to oversee youth-related initiatives and strategies.
- Re-establish the “Police in Schools” program to build trust and educate children about law enforcement.
- Support existing programs, such as Blue Light Victoria, and explore the establishment of Police Citizens Youth Clubs.
- Develop partnerships with community organisations to enhance youth engagement efforts.
Transparency and Media Relations
Improving transparency and media relations is crucial for rebuilding public trust in Victoria Police. A strategic approach to media management can enhance communication and community confidence.
- Appoint a high-ranking officer with operational experience as Media Commander to oversee information dissemination.
- Ensure operational members can speak to the media without fear of criticism.
- Address media leaks by focusing on the underlying issues rather than punishing whistleblowers.
Addressing Drug Issues with a New Approach
A shift from harm minimisation to a four-pillar approach (Health, Law Enforcement, Education, Rehabilitation) is necessary to address drug-related issues in society effectively. This comprehensive strategy aims to reduce drug use and its associated harms.
- Implement health orders allowing police to take individuals affected by drugs into care for treatment.
- Establish secure facilities for drug treatment and triage to address addiction issues.
- Focus on street-level drug dealers and users rather than high-profile offenders to disrupt the drug trade.
Legal System Reforms for Victims
Reforming the legal system to prioritise victims’ rights and streamline processes is crucial for enhancing justice outcomes. Abolishing the committal process and enhancing victim support can lead to a more efficient legal framework.
- Abolish the committal for the trial process to reduce delays and trauma for victims.
- Provide legal representation for victims of major crimes to advocate for their rights and interests.
- Implement enforceable compensation orders for victims to ensure accountability from offenders.
- Construct purpose-built facilities for victims to give evidence remotely, enhancing their safety and comfort.
Community Engagement and Policing Strategies
Effective community engagement is crucial for fostering trust and enhancing perceptions of police effectiveness. Strategies should focus on improving community interaction and local ownership of policing efforts.
- Realign crime trend analysis to measure community attitudes towards police effectiveness.
- Expand the Neighbourhood Watch program to foster community involvement in crime prevention.
- Review patrol systems to allow officers more time for direct community interaction.
- Dispense with the “Super Station” concept to refocus on local community policing.
Mental Health Support for Police Officers
Enhancing mental health support for police officers is crucial for their well-being and operational effectiveness. Continued efforts are needed to address the mental health challenges faced by serving and retired members.
- Maintain and improve programs like The Hub to support the mental health of officers.
- Legislate indemnity for officers acting in good faith to encourage proactive policing.
- Reintroduce the practice of gazetting positions to stabilise the organisation and improve morale.
Retirement and Reservist Programs for Officers
Developing a reservist program for retired officers can provide valuable support to current members while maintaining their sense of identity and purpose. This initiative can enhance community policing efforts and provide mentorship.
- Allow retired officers to retain their police identity and serve in a reserve capacity.
- Implement a system to recognise the service and contributions of retiring officers.
- Utilise retired officers for non-frontline duties to relieve operational pressures on current members.
FOR THE FULL VERSION OF PLAN 100.4, click on the link below:
