Labor pledges $70 million for 200 police reservists in Victoria
Labor pledged $70 million to recruit 200 police reservists across Victoria, with Bendigo getting extra support.
Labor announced a $70 million pledge to hire 200 police reservists across Victoria before the November 28 state election. Reservists do admin work.
Admin duties free serving police to spend more time on patrols and responding to calls. Bendigo will get some of these new roles.
The city already has four reservists on staff. Upper house leader Jaclyn Symes announced the plan with Bendigo candidates.
Chief Commissioner Mike Bush backed it, saying reservists help keep police out of desk work and into the community. The Coalition hit back by pledging to hire 3000 extra police officers instead.
That approach does not include reservists but focuses on hiring frontline staff.
- $70 million
- Labor pledge
- 200
- New reservist roles
- 3000
- Coalition officers
- 4
- Bendigo current reservists
Why it mattersVictorian voters now have two very different law-and-order plans: Labor's focus on freeing up existing police through reservists, or the Coalition's plan to hire thousands of new officers.
AustraliaVictorian voters, especially in regional areas like Bendigo, will decide between these rival approaches when they vote on November 28. The outcome shapes police resources and how they deploy across the state.
