MITCHELL-STRATHBOGIE EDITION 48 PAGES
AVENEL • BEVERIDGE • BROADFORD • CLONBINANE • DONNYBROOK • EUROA • HEATHCOTE JUNCTION • KILMORE • LONGWOOD NAGAMBIE • PUCKAPUNYAL • SEYMOUR • TALLAROOK • TRAWOOL • VIOLET TOWN • WALLAN • WANDONG
Sometimes, ambos do not come at all
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2026
CRIME UP 38.5% IN MURRINDINDI YEA, ALEXANDRA ARE HOT SPOTS ■ Victorians are less safe than ever before as new data confirms criminal offending has reached a new all-time high under Labor, says Eildon MLA Cindy McLeish. Across Murrindindi Shire, overall crime has risen by 38.5 per cent. “Breach of Family violence intervention order topped the offence list. Motor vehicle theft and theft from a motor vehicle is up 61 per cent, while prohibited and controlled weapons offences - including those involving machetes - have increased by 54 per cent. “Yea and Alexandra are the hotspots recording twice as many offences as Kinglake or Eildon. “Overall crime in the Whittlesea Shire is up by 7.7 per cent in Whittlesea ,and Nillumbik Shire it is up by 3.1 per cent. “Eltham records the highest number of offences which is well below crime in Thomastown and Epping. “Stealing from a motor vehicle tops the list in Whittlesea Shire while breach of family violence order is the number one issue in Nillumbik. “Mansfield Shire has bucked the trend, recording an overall decline in total criminal offences, a decrease of 14.6 per cent, contributing to a stronger sense of safety among residents. “Theft is the major offence in the Shire, and criminal damage and breach of family violence orders have both increased. Ms McLeish said: “The data shows that while residents in Mansfield Shire continue to feel relatively safe, they remain concerned about the trend of rising crime in other parts of Victoria” “Whilst overall offence numbers are considerably lower than in municipalities in the outer metropolitan area, there is still cause for concern,” said Ms McLeish. Independent Crime Statistics Agency data released last week has shown that over the 12 months to December 2025 a total of 630,592 crimes were committed statewide – the equivalent of one crime every 50 seconds. “Since becoming Premier, Jacinta Allan has overseen 1500 vacancies on police rosters and weaker bail laws than what they were in 2023,” Ms McLeish said. “The data shows that what residents tell me - they feel relatively safe, but remain concerned about the trend of rising crime in other parts of Victoria” “People see horrendous and scary footage and worry about their family and friends and even travelling to the city. This should not be the case. “The increase in breaches of family violence intervention orders is deeply troubling. “Under Labor, 286,329 crimes remain unsolved – almost half of all recorded offences and a 15 per cent increase over the past year. “In May 2025, the State Labor Government reduced funding by almost $50 million to Victoria Police as net debt continues to grow by $1.7 million an hour and is expected to reach a record $192.6 billion by 2028-29.” Leader of the Opposition, Jess Wilson, said: “Labor has created Victoria’s crime crisis. Victorians have never felt less safe.” “I will make sure our bail and sentencing laws reflect community expectations; if you commit a crime, you will face consequences. If you break bail, you will face jail,” Ms Wilson said.
■ “Here is the reality check: in my electorate families are facing the reality that sometimes ambulances do not come at all. So said Euroa MLA Annabelle Cleeland in State Parliament, after Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas commented that every minute counts with ambulance care. “Across the Euroa electorate ambulance response times are falling short of the state target of reaching 90 per cent of code 1 emergencies within 15 minutes,” Ms Cleeland said. “In Benalla that target is met just 58 per cent of the time, in Mitchell 51 per cent of the time and in Strathbogie just 32 per cent of the time. “Behind those numbers are people like Strathbogie residents Pam and Murray Ellis. “They experienced this firsthand when Murray had severe pain recently, called an ambulance and was told there was none available. “A paramedic later called them and said Pam had to drive him to hospital in the middle of the night. “When they were told Murray needed further tests from the Euroa Hospital at Shepparton, with no ambulance available Pam had to drive him there too and arrived at 1am. “Murray was diagnosed with severe kidney stones. The paramedics did their absolute best, and I admire each and every one of them, but Victorians should not be told to drive a loved one in agony to a hospital when an ambulance is unavailable. “Regional communities deserve the same access to emergency care as Melbourne,” Ms Cleeland said.
What’s the plan?
● Cindy McLeish MLA
Open Mernda Police Station 24/7: MP ■ Northern Victoria MLA Wendy Lovell has demanded that Mernda Police Station be be opne 24/7, as was the promise when it opened in 2017. Ms Lovell slammed the State Government for reducing the opening hours of both Mernda and Epping police stations, as crime rises again in the Whittlesea municipality. “Crime is up but policing is down, with deadly consequences,” said Ms Lovell. “Mernda train station was recently the site of a fatal stabbing, when Aidan Becker stepped in to help a stranger and paid the highest price for his brave intervention. “This tragic murder was sadly part of a larger pattern of rising crime in the area. “The latest figures from the Crime Statistics Agency show that in the 12 months to December 2025, criminal incidents in the Whittlesea Police Service Area jumped by 7.7 per cent, bringing the total increase in crime to 56 per cent since Labor was last elected in 2022. “Mernda police station opened in 2017 with the promise that it would be a 24/7 station with extra staff ready to serve a rapidly growing area, and yet following recent unplanned closures during the day due to staff shortages, the Allan Labor Government decided to close it completely on weekends and weekday evenings after 6pm,” Ms Lovell said. “But instead of increasing police activity and availability, the Allan Labor Government has reduced opening hours at stations in the area.”
■ Euroa MLA Annabelle Cleeland has asked Premier Jacinta Allan what the plan is to secure fuel for local farmers. “I need confirmation that the Premier understands how serious this is and is acting, which means urgent pressure on the Federal Labor Government to cut the fuel excise and reduce the road user charge so trucks can keep moving,” Ms Cleeland said. “Right now across my electorate and across regional Victoria communities are dealing with a power outage – as we speak – and they cannot even purchase fuel in basic quantities. They cannot fill a jerry can. We have no power and we have no fuel. This is a crisis. Across regional Victoria people are either unable to access fuel at all or are paying astronomical prices. In the city I understand it is inconvenient, but in our region it stops farms, businesses and essential services doing their job. Charlie Crocker from Violet Town, Donna Jackson from Boho, Andrea Cullen from Molka, Ange Doyle from Gooram and Petrostar distributors Dave and Kirrily, are all impacted.”