- Published:
- Thursday 17 September 2026
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Thank you.
Let me acknowledge:
Paul Edbrooke – the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Crime Prevention, and Multicultural Affairs.
Dermot Avon – the President of the Police Association of Victoria.
Police Association board members.
Delegates.
And of course – Wayne Gatt.
Wayne, we’ve worked together for years.
I remember when we met ten years ago.
You aren’t just a voice for your members.
You are a trusted source of advice for me and my Government.
And most importantly – you get things done.
Before I start, I want to touch on something serious.
Let me acknowledge Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart.
387 days ago, Neal and Vadim were among 10 Victoria Police members who went to a property to execute a search warrant.
They did not come home.
The hard truth is, they could have been any member of Victoria Police.
Because they lost their lives doing what police officers do every day – putting themselves between the community and danger.
We must never forget the price they paid for our safety.
As Paul said, we get it.
I know how hard your job is on you – and your families. And I know how dangerous your work can be.
For all the arguments we have in politics about crime, there is one fact.
When something goes wrong, it is a police officer who has to walk through the door.
That level of service and courage deserves the respect of every Victorian, every day.
That’s why I’m here.
You see, I grew up in Airport West.
And one of the lessons I learned growing up under the flight path is:
Safety is a question of fairness.
And working people rely on it most.
Safety matters if you’re a nurse walking back to her car after a late shift.
Safety matters if you’re a retail worker – like I was at Kmart – finishing up at night.
Safety matters if you’re an apprentice catching the last train home.
Everyone – no matter where they live, no matter what they do for a living – has a right to be safe in their home or at work or on the street.
Safety shouldn’t be determined by your postcode.
Or your pay packet.
That’s why community safety matters to me as Premier.
It’s personal.
I will be honest.
We are still not where we need to be on community safety.
Crime is going down – thanks to your work.
But it’s still too high.
We have more work to do.
And we need – more – police.
Wayne, you told me that Victoria needs 17,020 police officers to have a full police force.
I listened.
And, this week, I announced my plan to deliver it.
My plan to recruit 1,500 more police officers and get Victoria Police back to full force.
We’re going after recruitment bottlenecks.
We will establish a second permanent police academy in the western suburbs.
That opens the door for more people from the west to become police officers — and stay in the west as police officers.
We’ll go from double-squad to triple-squad graduations.
We’re also investing in more trainers, and better facilities and accommodation.
These initiatives will work – but they will still take time.
I know that’s an issue.
Victorians want to see more police on the street and at stations right now.
That’s why we are funding police reservists.
This initiative will free up 86,000 shifts a year – getting more of you back in the community.
And we’ve invested in 200 additional PSOs.
And we’ve let command deploy them wherever the operational intelligence says they are needed.
On trains, around stations, at shopping centres, on shopping strips.
A Victoria Police at full force also means each and every one of you in full health.
But I don’t just want to see Victoria Police at full force. I want to see VicPol at full health.
Police see things most Victorians should never have to see.
A fatal collision.
A child in danger.
Family violence.
Suicide.
And even the loss of colleagues.
I saw a report on the ABC recently.
They were interviewing Detective Sergeant Chris Hill – who was one of the first responders to Porepunkah.
Detective Sergeant Hill worked with Neal Thompson.
And he said he thought about August 26 every time he drove through the roundabout at Porepunkah.
My point?
The job takes a toll.
We cannot ask police to carry on and treat their mental health as an afterthought.
That is why the Police Association created BlueHub.
BlueHub works.
Police who have gone through BlueHub have recorded reductions in PTSD, anxiety and depression.
Our Government backs BlueHub – and we want it to keep it going.
That’s why, today, I can announce that a re-elected Carroll Labor Government will fund BlueHub again.
10 million dollars.
Ongoing.
Enduring.
So BlueHub can plan and expand.
Because your mental health and wellbeing matters.
Consequences matter, too
I have zero tolerance for violence.
We need to fix sentencing.
We’ve heard your concerns – and we’re acting.
That’s why we’re doing a Sentencing Act Review.
That’s why we introduced Adult Time for Violent Crime.
100 youths have now been charged under that regime.
What that tells me is the system is working better.
More criminals are being held accountable.
But I can’t celebrate that number yet.
I can’t – because the right number of young people committing shocking, violent crimes is zero.
The right number of knives in the hands of young people is also zero.
That is why, yesterday, I announced that Labor will implement Jack’s Law.
I know you work every day to prevent knife crime.
I know you can use handheld metal detector wands in designated areas.
But right now…there are no designated areas.
The system isn’t working.
The change in Jack’s Law fixes that problem.
The new law will make every public place a designated area – always, every day, every hour.
And give you the powers you need to do your job.
Because that’s my job.
Helping you.
Supporting you.
And fixing your problems.
That’s why I believe in strong unions and strong associations like this one.
I believe in the Police Association because I believe frontline workers deserve someone powerful standing beside them.
You deserve decent pay.
Safe conditions.
And the equipment and staffing you need to do your job.
I understand that your workplace is different from almost any other workplace in Victoria.
I know that most workers are never asked to put their body between a violent offender and a stranger.
But you are.
My commitment to you is simple.
I will back police.
I will listen to police.
And I will work with police.
I will put more police on our streets.
I will give you laws and powers that help you do your job.
And I will insist on serious consequences for serious violent crime.
Because I want everyone in our community – no matter where they live – to be safe.
And I want every police officer to finish their shift and go home safely.
That is what community safety means to me.
That is what fairness means to me.
That is the standard you can expect from me.
Thank you.