Tuesday 1st August 2017
Leader of The Nationals and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh has delivered a strong message of zero tolerance to those with intent to steal fuel.
Mr Walsh applauded today’s announcement by the Liberal National Coalition that fuel drive-offs would be treated as a criminal matter under a Coalition Government from 1 July 2019.
“Stealing petrol is a crime “ Mr Walsh said.
“The Liberal-Nationals are determined to see a sense of safety returned to our communities and treating fuel drive-offs as a criminal matter is another step in the right direction.
Victorians will have a very clear choice at the next election of more of the softly softly approach on law and order from the Premier for Melbourne Daniel Andrews or a real crack down on violent crime and assault in our communities.”
The key points of the Liberal-Nationals policy announced today include:
- Work with Victoria Police so that all fuel drive-offs with non-innocent criminal intent will be treated as criminal theft offences and not as civil matters.
- Work with Victoria Police to recommit to the presumption that all fuel drive-offs are initially investigated as criminal offences
- A “zero-tolerance” investigatory and enforcement regime to be established
- A Victoria Police centrally administered fuel drive-off/theft online reporting system to be developed and introduced
- Introduction of a new specific Victoria offence code to the Crimes Act 1958 offence of theft detailing “fuel drive-off”
- The establishment of an improved information sharing interface system or vitual “stolen plate clearing house” between Victoria Police and VicRoads
- Work with industry to continue to implement improved security and video surveillance measures
- The establishment of a taskforce to oversee the implementation and ongoing effectiveness of these reforms.
Mr Walsh said the Liberal-Nationals policy announcement today is another step in delivering long overdue legislative reform to address crime rates in the Murray Plains electorate and restore honesty and respect to our rural communities.