Politics · Australia · 9 hrs ago
Victorian parties set out competing crime and justice pledges
Victoria’s state election is set for November 28, and parties are presenting their plans to voters.
Labor, the Liberal-National Coalition, the Greens and One Nation have all made proposals on crime and justice.
Labor says it would recruit 1,500 police officers, open a second police academy and increase penalties for some serious offences if re-elected.
The Coalition has promised 3,000 more officers and changes to bail laws and sentencing for some young offenders.
The Greens favour more crime-prevention programs and want to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14, while One Nation proposes recruiting police and charging children accused of serious violent offences as adults.
These are campaign pledges, not current changes to the law, and parties are continuing to set out their priorities before the vote.
Victoria’s major parties have announced competing crime and justice pledges ahead of the state election on November 28.
Labor has promised to recruit 1,500 police officers and open a second police academy in Wyndham.
The Coalition has pledged to recruit 3,000 police officers and reopen more than 40 police stations.
The Greens want to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 and repeal changes that strengthened bail laws in 2025.
One Nation’s policy would return the age of criminal responsibility to 10 and allow children charged with serious violent offences to be tried as adults.
- Who
- Labor, the Liberal-National Coalition, the Greens and One Nation.
- What
- The parties have set out different crime and justice policies ahead of Victoria’s state election.
- When
- The article was published on November 3, 2026; the election is scheduled for November 28.
- Where
- Victoria, Australia.
- Why
- The pledges address rising community concern over crime and set out the parties’ priorities for the election.
Labor
Coalition
Police numbers
Labor
Labor has promised to recruit 1,500 officers and open a second police academy.
Coalition
The Coalition has promised to recruit 3,000 officers and reopen more than 40 police stations.
Bail policy
Labor
Labor’s bail policy is not stated in the article.
Coalition
The Coalition would introduce a one-strike rule for offenders who commit crimes while on bail.
Youth justice
Labor
Labor’s policy on the age of criminal responsibility is not stated in the article.
Coalition
The Coalition would expand adult sentencing provisions for youths to cover 20 serious offences.
The article says many of Labor’s commitments extending into the next few years were unveiled in the state budget.
The Coalition has been rolling out more specific commitments.
ABC Australia published its account of the parties’ election promises.
Victoria’s state election is scheduled to take place.
- Election date
- November 28, 2026
- Labor police recruitment
- 1,500 officers
- Coalition police recruitment
- 3,000 officers
- Coalition station pledge
- Reopen more than 40 police stations
- Greens proposed safety investment
- $1 billion
- One Nation proposed criminal responsibility age
- 10 years old