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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2026
POLICE STATION CLOSED 4 DAYS PER WEEK
■ Mooroolbark Police Statioin is now closed four days a week, Evelyn MLA Bridget Vallence told State Parliament last week. “Crime is a serious issue for the state. Under the Labor Government police station closures have not addressed the rise in crime, with data showing patrols alone are not enough to drive down crime. “We must get Mooroolbark Police Station reopened, and I am pushing for that and for the recruitment of the thousands more police that Victoria needs to help keep communities safer. “Mooroolbark Police Station is now shut four days a week as a result of Victoria Police budget cuts by the Allan Labor Government, and the result is a 22 per cent increase in crime in our community. “Mooroolbark and Croydon police stations, and more than 40 others across Victoria, have had their hours drastically reduced, with the government line that this will get more police out from behind desks and into the community to prevent crime. “But the data clearly shows the strategy of closing police stations is not working. Where police stations have reduced hours, crime is up 22 per cent – higher than the statewide average. “The types of crime that have gone up where a police station has been shut include car theft, stealing from a car, stealing from a shop, criminal damage, sexual offences and breaching of family violence orders. “That is not fair to the residents of
● Bridget Vallence, Evelyn MLA
Mooroolbark and the Yarra Ranges. It is totally unacceptable. “No amount of spin from the Labor Government will satisfy people in my community that are suffering crime as a result. Our hardworking local police also deserve better. “Where police stations have remained open, crime has gone up, but only by 15 per cent. We must keep our police stations open,” Ms Vallence said.
SHIRE PUSHES FOR SAFER CROSSINGS
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● Photo: Yarra Ranges Council
■ Yarra Ranges Council, as opart of its preelection advocacy, is pushing for safer road crossings. The Council’s list of priority locations for new pedestrian crossings include: ■ Kallista, on Monbulk Road near the roundabout ■ Lilydale, along Swansea Road at the Olinda Creek Trail ■ Mooroolbark, on Pembroke Road at the Brushy Creek Trail ■ Mount Evelyn, on York Road at the Mount Evelyn Aqueduct Trail ■ Olinda, on Mount Dandenong Road in the township ■ Sassafras, on Mountain Highway in the township ■ Seville East, on Warburton Highway near Peters Road and Old Warburton Highway ■ Wandin North, on Warburton Highway near Alfred Street ■ Yarra Glen, on Melba Highway near Armstrong Grove ■ Yarra Junction, on Warburton Highway near Corduroy Road and the LilydaleWarburton Rail Trail. Yarra Ranges Mayor, Cr Richard Higgins, said that increased visitation and growth in our towns puts increasing demand on local roads and highlights safety risks. “It is unacceptable that in 2026 we still have townships, with major StateGovernment managed arterial roads running through them, that do not have any signalised pedestrian crossings.
MP slams Govt over Recreation Bill ■ Rachel Payne, South-Easter Metropolitan MLC, has slammed the State Government over its Outdoor Recreation Bill. “The safe and easy access to iconic landscapes close to Melbourne is a drawcard for people to get the best of Australia all in one state,” Ms Payne said. “The lush rainforests of the Great Otway National Park and the majestic forests of the Dandenong[s] and Yarra Ranges national parks in eastern Victoria, not far from my region, are loved by many people who come here to see them, enjoy them and bask in them. “Again, these landmarks and areas are not just tourist attractions; they are irreplaceable natural assets that define our state’s identity. By any measure they deserve the strongest possible protection. “National parks safeguard some of Victoria’s most important ecosystems, providing habitat for natural wildlife and protecting threatened species from extinction. “The Otways, Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Ranges contain unique plants and animals that simply cannot survive without healthy and protected environments. This is indisputable. “Millions of Victorians rely on access to nature for their health, wellbeing and quality of life. “Our First Peoples will tell you something that we all know intuitively but perhaps have become disconnected from: without environmental health, we do not have human health. “They are intrinsically linked. Now more than ever we should be strengthening efforts to safeguard these parks and public lands and not weakening environmental protections. It simply does not make sense. “By caring for the landscapes and wildlife around us, we ensure that future generations inherit the same rich natural and cultural heritage that has been safeguarded for millennia. “On behalf of Legalise Cannabis Victoria, we reject this bill. It has the wrong priorities. It will actively weaken protections for nature and wildlife, and it will do so without proper scrutiny, expertise or care,” Ms Payne said.
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