The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, was in attendance as the long-awaited, newly built Benalla Police Station officially opened on Friday.
The new police station has been highly anticipated by local police and residents for years now, with The Nationals’ advocating for the project as far back as 2016.
Ms Cleeland said it was pleasing to see a positive outcome come from that advocacy, despite being several years overdue.
“Benalla has needed a new police station for well over a decade now, with the former site being nowhere close to being fit-for-purpose for an area so large,” Ms Cleeland said.
“First built in 1956, the former facility wasn’t even meant to be a police station, and until recently had mould, asbestos, cracked walls, and no female change rooms.
“Our police do an incredible job, and it is great to see them rewarded with a new station that will be a wonderful place to work.
“It is pleasing to see that years of advocacy from The Nationals finally got this government invest into the safety of our regional community and our dedicated local police.”
Benalla has seen major increases in both criminal incidents and offences recorded in the past year, with several high-profile incidents of armed robbery, thefts, and stabbings happening in that time.
Ms Cleeland said that more must be done to ensure crime rates across the state were kept under control.
“This new facility is an important step to keeping our local community safe, but there is a long way to go for the rest of the state,” Ms Cleeland said.
“In the last 18 months under this Allan Labor Government, more than 1100 Victoria Police positions remain vacant, and 43 stations have been closed or had their hours reduced.
“Victoria Police continues to grapple with a significant wave of officer resignations, including at the highest level, and crime is up across the state.
“Other states, such as Queensland, are offering $20,000 sign-on bonuses and advertising on our own public transport – while we are seeing $2 billion cut from our police budget.
“Crime is up, and the resourcing is down. It simply isn’t working, and it is leaving our police officers overworked and people in our communities feeling unsafe.”
