I too rise to speak on the Terrorism (Community Protection) and Control of Weapons Amendment Bill 2024, and I am really pleased to rise to speak on this bill. This is another bill where our government has listened, not only to the community but also to Victoria Police. This is a bill that is all about our government going ahead and cracking down on crime, cracking down on offenders, trying to prevent people who are likely to get engaged in crime from doing that in the first place and also trying to deradicalise some of our youth. This is an excellent bill, and it is an excellent time to bring it here before the house. We take crime and offending, in relation to the many offences that this bill is cracking down on, incredibly seriously, which is why time and time again before this house we are here debating bills that have been put before the house that have gone through consultation with Victoria Police and that give them the powers that they need to crack down on crime on our local streets.
I talk about that quite passionately, because when I am out and about in my community I have lots of conversations about crime, particularly around youth offending and knives. This bill, I am really pleased to say – and I know my community will really be happy to hear – means we are going ahead and introducing amendments so police can stop and search and look for weapons, including knives. That is going to be really important for my local community. This is not just about preventing crimes from happening in the first place but this is also about ensuring that our community feel safe in their local neighbourhoods and streets, many of them where they grew up and where they continue to reside with their growing families.
I do want to make a couple of remarks about the deradicalisation amendments that we are putting through in this bill. We recognise the need for therapeutic intervention for those people who may be vulnerable to violent extremism. It is something that is absolutely appalling to think about in our community, and the previous speaker has talked at length about some of the abhorrent things that even 10-year-olds say at the sides of sporting games. These are the sorts of actions and words that lead to terrible things in our community that should not be happening, but it is really important that this government has acknowledged that some of these things are happening in our communities. Whether you are of Jewish faith or of Islamic faith, we are doing everything we can to crack down and provide better protection for folks.
I want to say a couple of things about Victoria’s voluntary case management scheme, which has been in operation since 2022. It is a voluntary program that provides tailored intervention and wraparound support for people at risk of radicalisation. Support includes psychological counselling, career counselling, mentoring, tutoring, legal aid, access to community sports groups and the like. This scheme exists to support people who are at risk of or are actually radicalising towards violent extremism. This is about preventing terrible action from being taken before it actually happens. It connects these kids with the services they need and identifies ways to reconnect them with our community and be more included in our community. It is really important to remember that the scheme is voluntary and it complements the tremendous work that is being done by Victoria Police with high-risk individuals. These amendments will make changes to the operation of the scheme to ensure best practice at all times.
I want to take a moment to give a big shout-out to the amazing men and women that make up our police force. Since coming to government we have added over 3600 police officers on the streets of Victoria – men and women who each and every single day wake up to keep our community safe. They do a tremendous job. I have talked here in this place about visiting the big cop shops in Melbourne’s west, whether it is Wyndham police station, Sunshine police station or Werribee police station, talking firsthand to the men and women who are there on the front line and asking them what they think is happening with our youth in particular. The knowledge that they have provided us with is invaluable. That is always so important, and it is the reason why we consult so extensively with them before we put bills before this house that will give them the powers to keep our community even safer. On this side of the house we work with Victoria Police, not against them.
This is a tremendous bill. It is good timing for it to come before the house this week. I want to take a moment to give a big shout-out to the minister, who I know works extremely hard and extremely closely with Victoria Police. This bill is going to look at the deradicalisation of youth but also look at the search and seizure amendments that need to be made, particularly in relation to public places. We know that communities and families, particularly in my local patch in Melbourne’s west, cannot wait to get out and about and enjoy festivals and major sporting matches. They want to be safe. They deserve to feel safe. The amendments in this bill in particular are all around making sure that folks can feel safe at these major events. I cannot wait to get out into my community and talk about this really fantastic bill that has come before the house this week. I would urge those opposite to get behind it and to get behind Victoria Police.
[Interruption]
