The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has called on the Minister for Police to urgently address staffing shortages impacting the Red Cliffs and Merbein Police Stations.
Raising the issue in Parliament, Ms Benham urged the Minister to allocate additional police officers to these under-resourced towns, warning that community safety is being compromised.
Residents in these towns are increasingly concerned about crime, safety, and the lack of police visibility in their towns,” Ms Benham said. “Red Cliffs is operating with just five officers—half of the required number—with staff regularly redirected to Mildura due to widespread shortages.”
Residents have voiced growing frustration that many incidents go unreported because stations are often unmanned, and no officers are available to respond. This underreporting, Ms Benham says, paints a false picture that crime is under control when in fact it is escalating.
Victoria Police is currently facing a statewide shortfall of approximately 1,200 officers. In the Mildura region alone, there are 54 unfilled positions, placing immense strain on local police services and leaving communities exposed.
The consequences of this police shortfall are being felt in multiple ways, including rising levels of crime such as theft, vandalism, and anti-social behaviour; slower emergency response; reduced road safety enforcement; ongoing concerns around domestic violence and the enforcement of intervention orders; and fears among elderly and vulnerable residents who feel unsafe in their own homes and businesses.
“Our regional towns deserve the same frontline protection as metropolitan areas,” Ms Benham said. “The current situation is unsustainable. We are seeing rising crime, slower emergency response times, and growing pressure on community services.”
“It’s time for The Premier to show some leadership, tackle rising crime, and restore safety and confidence to our regional communities.”
