May 11, 2022
Political jitters driving crime push
A veteran Black Power member says crime policies need to be based on evidence, not political rhetoric.
The Government has flagged next week’s Budget will include an additional $94 million to tackle gangs and organised crime.
Denis O’Reilly says the Government has got the jitters about next year’s election.
He says its record on crime is actually strong, with youth crime down, the use of alcohol by young people down, and the police being relentless in efforts to seize the proceeds of crime as well as trying to work with pro-social gang leaders.
“When people play up on bikes or whatever, sooner or later a man comes to the door and you lose your bike and you lose your car and you might as well lose your freedom. So it’s not as if they have been soft or there are no consequences, but it is true the public opinion is such,” Mr O’Reilly says.
Rather than throwing out policies to address trends like ram raids, the policymakers need to go out and actually talk to 14-year-olds about what motivates them.