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Crime rates have reached their highest levels since 2016, with offences per 100,000 people on the rise. This increase is largely attributed to a surge in theft, which has climbed by 14.2 percent. Over the past year, nearly 6,000 more thefts have been reported, marking a significant uptick in such incidents by the end of December.
Melbourne has experienced a 2.1 percent increase in crime, now standing at 17,671.9 incidents per 100,000 people. Notably, the Latrobe and Port Phillip areas have each seen a 5.9 percent rise in criminal activity.
These troubling statistics emerge despite the Allan government’s measures, including a contentious machete amnesty and ban, as well as stricter bail laws and harsher penalties for young offenders involved in violent crimes.
In a related development, police have seized a record number of machetes, totaling 17,400, as part of their crackdown on illegal weapons.
The data shows 17,400 machetes were seized by police, a record number.
The data dump came the same day the embattled premier was forced to deny speculation she will face a leadership challenge, dismissing the rumours as “anonymous speculation”.
Media reports have suggested a plan to oust Allan as Labor leader and Premier could be in the making.
However, Allan denied the rumours, insisting she had the support of the party room and questioning the source of the rumours.
“We are a strong team, we are a united team,” she said this morning.
“This is anonymous gossip, it’s from a few scallywags.”
Despite this, she also sent a pointed message, saying such concerns and rumours would not help Labor’s campaign.
“Now is not the time for cuts and division, now is the time to be focused,” she added.
No one has officially been labelled as wanting to lead the charge of a leadership change at such a crucial moment, with Labor MPs entering parliament today and posing a united front, backing Allan’s leadership.
Gabrielle Williams, the Transport Minister from the left faction, and Ben Carroll, the Deputy Premier and Minister for Education from the right faction, both dismissed such speculation when quizzed by media this morning.
“It’s idle gossip… I pay no attention to it,” Williams said at a press conference this morning.
Carroll was stopped in the halls of Parliament House, where he delivered a similar response.
“No, I want to be the education minister,” he replied when asked if he wanted to be Premier.
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