- Published:
- Monday 27 July 2026 at 4:20 pm
Twenty years ago, organised crime meant drugs and gangland murders.
Today, it recruits children into home invasions and firebombings, and launders criminal wealth.
Organised crime is the number one root cause of shocking, violent crimes across our community.
That's why the Allan Labor Government is supporting the Chief Commissioner to establish the Organised Crime Command.
It’s a new, highly specialized and permanent command within Victoria Police, with one job:
Break organised crime.
A single command to take on criminal networks
Organised crime has changed. So must our response.
That’s why Labor will invest $170 million to support the establishment of the new Organised Crime Command.
It will directly report to the Chief Commissioner.
Instead of chasing individual crimes, it will target the criminal enterprises behind them.
This new, highly specialised unit will hunt down hidden wealth, dismantle networks and cut off the money that fuels organised crime.
Existing taskforces including Hawk, Viper, Lunar and Eclipse will be brought together under the Command.
The Command will be made up of 158 additional staff once fully scaled up – including financial investigators, data analysts, technical surveillance specialists, cyber specialists and police working as one.
Backed by more police resources
Labor will invest almost $42 million to deliver new tech to give police the edge over criminal networks.
The investment will enhance Victoria Police’s ability to quickly and efficiently deploy police based on data and intel.
- The cutting-edge digital forensic technology will automate digital evidence analysis to free up investigators.
- Upgraded surveillance and cybercrime capabilities will be delivered, as well as more specialist investigators.
- Enhanced biometrics systems will also mean police can identify suspects sooner.
Victoria Police will receive a further $26.5 million to enhance their own digital and cybercrime capability to match those used by criminals.
The Office of Public Prosecutions will be boosted by almost $20 million so they have more resources to hunt criminal wealth.
Backed by stronger laws
New laws will let police apply for notices to produce, requiring financial institutions to hand over information quickly and flexibly – without the complex processes and delays that come with search warrants.
Further legislation that will be introduced next year will:
- Make it easier for police to pre-freeze cryptocurrency wealth before a court-based freezing order is obtained
- Allow the Magistrates’ Court to hear certain higher-value asset confiscation matters to deprive criminals of their gains
Government will also actively consider additional options to further strengthen the ability of police to prevent, deter and disrupt organised crime by:
- Enhancing coercive investigation powers, and
- Changing how police conduct operations online and clarifying the powers police have running covert online operations
What else we’re doing
Labor has already toughened bail laws and brought in Adult Time for Violent Crime.
This is the next step in the fight against the number one root cause of shocking, violent crime.
These measures are in addition to recent investments into Victoria Police’s crime fighting capability.
We’re helping free up frontline police through 200 police reservists, recruit an additional 50 Protective Service Officers (PSOs) and providing an initial boost to Victoria Police’s cybercrime and digital forensic storage capability.
We’ve also boosted Victoria Police’s State Command and Coordination Centre with $5 million so that it can be an intelligence gathering hub, overseeing major police operations against organised crime.
Only Labor is taking serious action to keep Victorians safe.
Jess Wilson’s One Nation-Liberal Coalition have no plan for safety – just cuts.
Quotes attributable to Premier Jacinta Allan
“Twenty years ago, organised crime meant gangland murders. Today, it means recruiting children into home invasions and firebombings.”
"This isn't another policing initiative. It's a fundamental change in how we fight organised crime, and it starts today."
Quote attributable to Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny
"These new powers mean police can move faster and hit criminals where it hurts."