Whittlesea council will ramp up its campaign for road upgrades and better policing in the lead-up to November’s state election.
Mayor Mary Lalios welcomed Labor’s commitment of $15 million to build a 24-hour police station in Mernda and warned the Liberal government that it needed to provide more certainty.
“Our city’s population isn’t just rapidly growing, it’s exploding,” Cr Lalios said.
“The Mernda-Doreen area, over the past five years, has experienced the greatest population growth in Victoria – it has grown by 740 per cent. But the number of first response police officers hasn’t increased, nor has the city received an increase in the essential services our families so desperately need.’’
The government has promised that announcements about its law and order initiatives will be made in the lead-up to the election.
“All of our law and order policies will be fully costed, fully funded and will be developed in consultation with Victoria Police, the local community and all relevant stakeholders,” a statement from Premier Denis Napthine and Police Minister Kim Wells said.
This was cold comfort for Mernda police station campaigner Tom Joseph.
“I have been after them to give me an appointment with the police minister or the parliamentary secretary,” Mr Joseph said. “They haven’t even bothered to reply.”
